Book 4: Chapter 3: Business trip to City A


    The next day around noon, Lazy Three who still had a headache from his hangover was dragged to the basement by Sis Wang. She needed to grab something there but as a woman from the countryside, she was superstitious and firmly believed an evil spirit had been responsible for the case. Therefore, she didnt dare go by herself despite it being the middle of the day.


    As she put it: Men have more abundant yang energy.


    Lazy Three had no choice but to apany her to the basement. But the closer they got, the more his hairs stood up. He wanted to leave immediately but did not. He didnt want others to say he wasnt even a man. More importantly, he had lived in this ce for half his life. There had never been any supernatural urrences. He refused to believe something ghoulish would appear for no reason. This ce was also his means of living and nothing could happen to it. Even if something did happen, he had to deal with it right away.


    There had been a light in the hallway to the basement, but it hadnt been reced after it broke. However, it was a sunny day so it was only a little murky.


    Crash! A loud noise suddenly rang out, seeming even more startling in the emptiness. Lazy Three suffered a huge shock. Sis Wang who was walking in front also stumbled to a halt, making Lazy Three practically collide against her.


    What happened? Lazy Three was a little annoyed. He realized the noise hade from Sis Wang dropping the ring of keys onto the floor. Really, people get frightened to death by other people, not ghosts!


    Door.door. Sis Wang pointed straight ahead. She only said two words, her voice trembling. Her feet no longer moved.


    Lazy Three looked over and saw that the door was open. There were a few pieces of joss paper scattered on the floor.


    Ever since the police had investigated the scene and given the ce back to him, he had kept this ce locked. It was locked with several locks. Otherwise, Sis Wang wouldnt have needed such arge chain of keys. However, the door was currently open without any marks of forced entry. The joss paper was even more inexplicable. His parents had passed away early and no one had died here in two decades.¹ Where did the joss papere from?


    As he stood frozen, Sis Wang suddenly yelled out in understanding. She turned and ran, actually sending Lazy Three staggering and almost falling.


    For an instant he also wanted to run after her. Strangely however, he didnt do so. It wasnt clear what he was thinking. Perhaps it was an inexplicable attraction that made him slowly approach.


    He had just reached the door when he sensed something shadowy swaying there. A slow creaking could be heard, making Lazy Threes legs grow weak. He almost sank to the floor.


    Cold sweat dripped and he didnt know whether he should run or go inside to take a proper look. He remained frozen there for a long while. The shadow and the sound echoed persistently within the room, rhythmically, steadily, unhurriedly. It didnt seem like it would stop and nothing scary came out. His curiosity got the better of him.


    There cant be a ghost in the middle of the day!


    Lazy Three kept this thought in mind as he slowly stuck his head out for a look.


    The light from outside shone in from the old, narrow little window. Because it passed through the dirty patterned ss, the light that came in was extremely dim, giving the room a musty air. A ray of light happened to shine upon the bed were the murder urred. Someone was lying there at this moment covered in the thick nkets, unmoving. Only the head was exposed and as still as the dead.


    Or perhaps it was truly the dead.


    Furthermore, the rooms sturdy, outdated ceiling fan was actually turned on in the middle of winter. It spun slowly, and was the source of the swaying shadow and creaking.


    Or rather, the source was the naked girl hanging upon the fan.


    When Lazy Three looked up, the girl hanging there happened to revolve around so she was facing him. He immediately recognized the girl he had encountered by the stairsst night.


    At this moment, her face was bruised and ckened. She bled from her seven apertures and her tongue was extended. Her eyes bulged as they red at the person who hade!


    Lazy Three sucked in a cold breath and scrambled out. He no longer cared about his manly image or his inns reputation. He screamed loudly: Theres been another murder! Someone has died again!


    This time the police arrived at noon so there were even more spectators. However, no one could get any information. They only saw Lazy Three sitting sluggishly on the bench in front of the small flowerbed muttering to himself. What good buddies did I provoke? Why are they harming me so? Theyre purposefully cutting off my means of living! What a tragedywhat a tragedy It wasnt clear if he was referring to himself or the victims.


    No matter what, his inn wouldnt be open for a while. The police now had another pressing case on their hands. The investigation into the closed-room murder had gone nowhere. Although the setup wasnt as skillful this time, there was still no evidence left behind.


    The girl this time had also engaged in sexual activity prior to her death. It was also not rape, but rather with her boyfriend. However, she was also naked when she died and her body was covered with bruises in the shape of small, irregr handprints. She had died from suffocation and terror as before. The process of suffocation was clearer than thest case. She had been hanged alive.


    The boy lying in bed was covered by the nket. Although they figured the scene underneath would be horrifying and disgusting, they still didnt expect to see what they found: the boy had been dissected. His entire chest had been opened up and his organs werepletely rearranged. He had been bled dry, his blood soaking the thick mattress.


    Had they been murdered at the same time or one after the other? Why did none of the five people upstairs hear any cries for help? Why were there no signs of struggle? Why the perverse actions towards the female victim but without any rape? The lock on the door showed no signs of being forced. And what was going on with the joss paper? Was someone purposefully trying to stir the imagination or was there some other meaning?


    The scene made it seem like this was a serial murder, but there werent any suspects. It also wasnt clear why the murderer chose young couples at this inn as the targets.


    These two cases werent just savage, they were perverse!


    I feel this is the work of some sociopath. A police officer said during the investigations meeting.


    But the small size of those handprints must also be considered. It would mean the perpetrators strength does not match a normal persons. Another said.


    Also, where is the murder weapon for the second case? Why isnt there the slightest evidence? There is no such thing as the perfect murder in this world! Someone else said.


    It essentially isnt humanly possible! This was their initial conclusion after considering what they had on hand.


    In the end, the case remained once again unresolved. Winter vacation and the New Year came one after the other but the love motel didnt open again during these two months.


    ***


    After the New Year, Xiao Xia received a new task. One of the citys major corporations, the Everplenty Group, needed some legal affairs handled at their subsidiary in City A. They werent willing to hire a localwyer whom they felt might be unreliable, and thus asked the Vast Skyw firm to assign awyer there for two months as legal representative and consultant.


    The Everplenty Group was one of the Vast Skyw firms regr clients. Of course they couldnt be refused. The firmswyers were all either busy with important cases or had families they couldnt leave behind. Therefore, the solitary marginalized person Yue Xiao Xia undertook this assignment.


    The job is very simple but the pay is pretty good. Youve only been taking criminal cases recently so its a good chance to rx and do some sightseeing. I hear City A has some good natural scenery and cultural ces. The director said.


    Xiao Xia nodded.


    She wasnt against this assignment. It truly was rtively easy work. Although the others would once again say that the director was being biased towards someonegging like her, she was prepared to ept it.


    She had just wanted to travel abroad to get away from her worries and adjust her emotions. When such a good opportunity fell upon her head, she naturally epted without hesitation. It wasnt her fault her dumb luck had always been good!


    Two months had passed since the events around Christmas. She still felt extremely awkward and didnt dare stop by the Nocturnal Revenant.


    How embarrassing!


    Only after mustering up her courage and vaguely dering her feelings did she find out he had always just viewed her as a friend. Being friends was fine. She just had to bury her feelings in her heart. Its just a crush, whats the big deal? Think about it. Liking someone without that person knowing. Isnt it romantic? Just because she liked someone doesnt mean that person was obligated to reciprocate. She understood this reasoning, and could also ept it. But that misunderstanding had been too embarrassing. She could only hope he hadnt understood her meaning. She would feel better that way.


    But he was so smart and sharp. How could he not have understood!?


    This thought lingered in Xiao Xias mind, making her avoid everything to do with Ruan Zhan as though she had a guilty conscience. However, she really wanted to see him. She really wanted to see those asionally distant yet asionally gentle eyes.


    She got home and was packing the things for her trip when her phone rang. Looking at the number, her heart almost leapt out of her chest. It was the Nocturnal Revenants number.


    She anxiously took several deep breaths before picking up, but the voice on the other end made her rx once again.


    It was the Nocturnal Revenants servers, Liu Tie and Ni Yang. Due to the winter holidays, they had gone back home for a period. During this time, Ruan Zhan had hired some local college students as temporary servers. Once the holiday period was over, he had subbed the two back in.


    The moment they returned, they made a fuss about wanting to see big sis Xiao Xia. However, since they had ss and Xiao Xia had work during the day, they could only ask her toe to the bar to meet them.


    Hearing Xiao Xias unconvincing excuses, the glib Ni Yang said: That wont do sis Xiao Xia, you have toe. Ive brought some local specialties from my hometown for you. If you donte, my poor little hearts going to suffer a blow.


    Also, also Liu Tie snatched the phone over. Ive had a crush on sis Xiao Xia for so many years. Shouldnt you at leaste soothe my yearning!?


    Xiao Xia startedughing. She was really helpless against these two!


    Ni Yang had always been talkative. Liu Tie used to be a little shy. After bing taciturn for a period of time following the Bloody Mary case, he had be lively and cheerful for some reason.


    Wan Li called it excavating the inner personality.


    Unable to withstand their pestering, Xiao Xia finally agreed. In her heart, the person she wanted to go see was someone else. That person who made her unable to sit still. After all, she was going to City A for business and would be so far from him. However, she lied to herself and said she was being forced by those two youngsters.


    As Wan Li said: people loved lying to themselves because it was even easier than lying to others.<ol><li>Well</li></ol>