The precinct was as lifeless as before; with Wang Dong’s case unresolved, the arrival of Tao Jiahao’s death had thrown us all into a state of utter bewilderment.

“Same as usual. Gao Jianning, pull up all the data on the deceased and his wife. Xiao Cuo and Dewey, go interview people at Min’an Middle School about the victim’s life there,” I instructed, just to keep them from idling, before sinking back into contemplation.

Earlier at the victim’s home, we had managed to get the general outline of the situation from his wife, Fan Yan. Yesterday, she had been out attending a gathering with several university classmates. Fearing the late hour, she stayed overnight at one of their places. This morning, she returned early to find her husband, Tao Jiahao, already dead in their home. I had also secured the contact information for the classmates Fan Yan mentioned, confirming that she had indeed been with them the previous night.

The deceased, Tao Jiahao, and his wife, Fan Yan, were both teachers at Anyang City No. 19 Middle School—he taught Chinese literature, she taught history. They were both known to be mild-mannered and respectable. They had been married for five years but had no children, and no one had heard of any grievances they held against others. This information, gathered from Tao Jiahao’s neighbors, also confirmed that the neighbors themselves were quite friendly with the family.

“Senior Brother, what are we going to…” Lan Jinxuan still had no idea what I intended for her to do. If she knew, she might very well strangle me.

“We have something much more important to handle right now. You go home and rest for a bit. Wait for my call,” I said with significant undertones, tossing my little sister Lan a mysterious, knowing look. Though in Gao Jianning’s eyes, this was nothing short of blatant seduction.

“Huh?” Lan Jinxuan clearly hadn't caught on.

“I’m telling you to go home and sleep, recharge your batteries. There’s something fun waiting for you tonight, and you can’t be asleep then! Anyway, I’m heading back to rest now, so I won’t be short on energy later.” My words grew increasingly suggestive, and I figured everyone else in the office must have been thinking the same thing.

I went home first, called my mother for a casual chat, and finally lay down. I drifted off for a little while, but various images kept flashing through my mind: Wang Dong’s chillingly visible back of the head in the surveillance footage, Tao Jiahao’s corpse oozing from all seven orifices, and the scattered flower petals on Chang’an West Street.

A faint, mysterious floral scent drifted into my nose—yes, definitely floral, jasmine, but subtly different from the usual scent. The aroma grew richer, seeming to envelop my entire being, a cage woven from fragrance, yet profoundly real. Suddenly, I snapped my eyes open, staring at the empty ceiling. The intensely rich scent had vanished completely, leaving not even a trace of its recent presence.

I glanced toward the window. The white curtains hung quietly, obscuring the light shining in from outside. Nothing seemed amiss; the window must have been securely closed. Checking the time—just past nine—I prepared to settle back to sleep.

The moment I closed my eyes, a gust of wind abruptly blew in. Even under the covers, I felt the bone-chilling cold within the air. I shivered violently and opened my eyes, only to see the previously still white curtains now billowing outward, the window wide open.

The wind had completely chased away any lingering sleepiness, though I found it strange; in this early autumn, there shouldn't be such a biting wind.

I got up and walked toward the window. The light from the streetlamps outside was dim. The small stalls not far away were already setting up—the nights in Jiamusi city were never complete without their presence. Touching my stomach, I realized I hadn't eaten dinner.

Grabbing a bite to eat, and the time should be about right after that. Thinking this, I pulled on my jacket and stepped outside.

Around ten o’clock, I called Lan Jinxuan and told her to wait for me outside the precinct. By the time I was full and had rushed back with a late-night snack for her, Lan Jinxuan had already arrived.

“Haha, making a beautiful woman wait, I’m truly sorry!” I called out before I even reached her, a broad smile plastered across my face.

“What is it, exactly?” Seeing my playful demeanor, Lan Jinxuan remained utterly perplexed.

“Nothing much. Isn't it nice for us to just stroll and admire the moon tonight? So romantic!” I took in Lan Jinxuan’s appearance—she was clad only in a thin, beige trench coat, her hands tucked into her pockets, looking both cool and charmingly graceful.

“Admire the moon? Senior Brother, you should look up first,” Lan Jinxuan said, a slight smile playing on her lips.

I looked up at the sky, momentarily at a loss for words. I rubbed the back of my head and laughed at Lan Jinxuan, “No moon, then eating a late supper will do just fine.”

“Strolling and eating supper at the same time? You’re a real comedian, Senior Brother,” Lan Jinxuan laughed even more brightly, though she had already reached out and snatched the food from my hand as she spoke.

Lan Jinxuan and I walked side-by-side. Although I was the one dictating where we went, I didn’t want her trailing behind me. If that situation from the hallway were to happen again in this pitch blackness, my tolerance level just wouldn't hold up.

“Where exactly are we going? What are we doing?” I hadn't expected that snack to silence the girl, Lan Jinxuan, who kept bombarding me with questions at my side.

“In terms of both the manner of death and the cause, even the time of death, Tao Jiahao is identical to Wang Dong. Wang Dong’s corpse rose from the morgue in the early hours this morning and was burned to a crisp. What do you think will happen to Tao Jiahao?” It seemed I had to be frank with the girl.

“You mean, Tao Jiahao will also rise from the dead tonight?” Even under the dim streetlight, I could see Lan Jinxuan’s face turn ashen white.

I nodded. Although it was only a speculation, I was quite certain.

“So, you called me here because you want me to help you catch a corpse?” Lan Jinxuan’s voice carried a slight tremor of tears. When I first met her, I thought she was someone fearless, like a big sister figure, but in reality, she was just a young girl.

“Clever,” I praised Lan Jinxuan with a wide smile, only to be met with a look from her that was a complex blend of resignation, terror, and determination—a look that evoked deep sympathy.

The exit to the morgue and the forensic department was located behind the main entrance of the precinct, an area rarely frequented, and even less so at this hour.

“Senior Brother, why does the wind feel so biting tonight?” Lan Jinxuan moved a little closer to me, seeking some warmth.

“Probably a sudden drop in temperature.” The weather in Anyang could change on a dime; the Northeast was a cold region, a fact I was keenly aware of.

Lan Jinxuan and I found a corner to squat in, which gave us a clear view of the main entrance area. Conversely, due to the lack of light on our side, the entrance couldn't easily make out our position. With walls shielding both sides, it was an excellent spot for taking shelter from the wind and flirting.

I glanced down at the time—only eleven-thirty. There was still a while until the estimated time of Tao Jiahao’s death. My nerves eased slightly, and I began to enjoy the moment. After all, my little sister Lan and I were pressed close together for warmth in this corner. Even in the dim light, it didn't stop my eyes from wandering; I searched her neck for an opening, though it seemed my “first assault” was a failure.

“Do you really think ghosts exist in this world?” I asked casually, only to feel Lan Jinxuan’s body stiffen again.

“I don’t know. People say it’s true if you believe, and nothing if you don’t, but I’m not sure if I believe it myself,” Lan Jinxuan murmured quietly. “Especially after what happened with Wang Dong…” She trailed off and looked up at me with wide eyes.

Lan Jinxuan didn't finish her thought, just raising her head and staring at me with wide eyes.

“Me? I’m about the same. We can’t really say for sure with things like this, can we?” I wasn’t sure why I had asked that question just now.

“Alright, alright, let’s not talk about it. In our current situation, talking about these things makes me feel uncomfortable all over.” Once Lan Jinxuan said that, I felt an odd sensation too.

“Fine then. Tell me about your boyfriend?” Let me preface this by saying I’m usually not this nosy. I just need to know if a flower is already claimed before making a reckless move, right?

“I don’t have a boyfriend yet,” Lan Jinxuan lowered her head. Though I couldn't see her expression, the tone of her voice suggested her face must have been flushed crimson.

“Oh, you don’t?” I said in a drawn-out, singsong voice, my smile becoming even more pronounced.

However, just as I turned my head to look back toward the main entrance with a smile, a man’s silhouette appeared right before my eyes. I instantly held my breath; with my eyesight, I could confirm that the figure before me was precisely the corpse of the deceased, Tao Jiahao.

“I don’t, and…” Unexpectedly, Lan Jinxuan blurted out a sentence, and I quickly reached out to clamp my hand over her mouth.

Looking back at Tao Jiahao across the way, he—no, it—hadn’t reacted. When Lan Jinxuan saw it standing at the main entrance, she immediately looked like she was about to scream. Luckily, I held her mouth even tighter, preventing the sound from escaping.

It was moving in the distance, heading toward our location. My heart started to pound wildly. I suddenly recalled that our current position was right at the corner of an alley.

It approached step by step. My hand remained clamped over Lan Jinxuan’s mouth; neither of us dared to move even an inch. If this were merely a corpse, it posed no threat. If it was merely not fully dead, it was still a living person, and surely two of us against one wouldn’t lose?

As it drew nearer, I noticed its eyes were tightly shut. This eliminated the danger of being discovered, and my heart rate gradually returned to normal. Sure enough, as it neared our corner, it made a turn and headed down the adjacent path.

Lan Jinxuan and I exchanged a look. I made a shushing gesture toward her. Seeing her nod with wide eyes, I released my grip on her mouth. Sigh. I had actually wanted to hold it a little longer.

It wasn't moving quickly. Lan Jinxuan and I cautiously followed behind, intent on discovering where it was going.

Lan Jinxuan tugged at the sleeve of my jacket, then looked down to see that she was gripping my clothing tightly, her knuckles already white.

The night felt perpetually gloomy, moonless, with all of Jiamusi shrouded in darkness. For every step it took, we followed suit.

A cold wind blew from behind, seeping into my jacket, sending a shiver down my spine that made me involuntarily tremble. I glanced back—there was nothing behind me. It was still walking, and we hadn't stopped, yet a feeling gradually surfaced in my mind, making my heart begin to beat fast and uneasily again. I had the distinct sensation that a pair of eyes was staring at me from behind!!! Who was it?!!!

I kept glancing back periodically but discovered nothing. However, the more I looked back, the stronger that sensation became. Continuing to follow it, while keeping my peripheral vision alert to my surroundings, I caught a sight in my side-glance that nearly suffocated me.

In my peripheral vision, a dark silhouette was silently trailing Lan Jinxuan and me, maintaining a distance of about three meters between us. I whipped my head around suddenly—still nothing behind me. But when I turned back and looked again with my peripheral vision, the shadow reappeared.

My pace quickened involuntarily. I reached out and grabbed Lan Jinxuan’s hand; she offered no resistance, instead clutching mine even tighter. I kept observing that dark silhouette with my side-glance; it also sped up, maintaining that three-meter gap.

My anxiety mounted, and my steps grew faster, when suddenly I heard Lan Jinxuan gasp, “Ah!” A burst of fire erupted before our eyes, and we quickly recoiled backward. Had we taken one more step forward, we likely would have been ignited along with it.

“How did it catch fire?” I stole another glance with my peripheral vision, confirming the dark silhouette had vanished before asking Lan Jinxuan.

“Didn’t you see? I didn’t see clearly either; it just seemed to ignite all at once.” Lan Jinxuan was equally bewildered, but even under the illumination of the flames, her face remained pale.