Zhou Huan and Wang Xiaohe rushed to the corpse. Zhou Huan took a close look and saw that the skin of this body was in the same condition as Old Song’s arm—the interior was shriveled, like a mummified corpse, yet the skin was so rotted it was unrecognizable. The foul, putrid stench remained unbearable.

In Wang Xiaohe’s mind, the forensic doctor’s earlier words echoed, and she felt as if she understood something: “Forensic Doctor Lin, what did you just say? All three bodies are the same?”

“Exactly! The rotting flesh on the surface reeks, but the insides of the bodies have shriveled up, just like mummies!”

Zhou Huan seemed to grasp something as well. He exchanged a look with Wang Xiaohe, and almost simultaneously, both spoke: “This isn’t a coincidence; the deceased must share some kind of connection!”

“Xiao Li, secure the scene. I’m heading back to the station!” As she spoke, Wang Xiaohe shot a look at Zhou Huan. Zhou Huan immediately pulled Dongzi up, and the three of them hurried downstairs.

Dongzi was apparently tired of dealing with corpses. The moment Zhou Huan grabbed him to go downstairs, he bolted faster than anyone, skipping the steps entirely and leaping down them.

Wang Xiaohe drove, taking Zhou Huan and Dongzi back to the police station. As soon as they entered the precinct doors, reporters from various newspapers, who had been waiting for some time, surged forward, bombarding them with all sorts of questions: “We hear the recent homicides are all linked to a female ghost. Is there really such a thing as a ghost in this world? Do you have a way to solve this case...?”

“I have nothing to say. Please, do not write baseless things. This case is currently under investigation!” Wang Xiaohe pushed through the reporters. Zhou Huan followed closely behind. Dongzi, seeing so many cameras, also became nervous and could only trail behind them.

Pushing reporters aside, Dongzi called out, “Stop taking pictures! What can you even see in this dark light? If you want a good shot, take a close-up tomorrow!”

“Tsk!” Seeing Dongzi’s antics, the reporters seemed to voice a single opinion. They abandoned Dongzi and followed Wang Xiaohe and Zhou Huan toward the offices.

By the time they reached the door of Wang Xiaohe’s office, Zhou Huan and Xiaohe had slipped inside and firmly locked the door. Two officers stood guard outside. Dongzi fought with all his might through the crowd of reporters to reach the door and hammered on it: “Brother, let me in! It’s too noisy out here!”

Zhou Huan opened the door just a crack and whispered close to Dongzi’s ear, “You wait outside. Don’t say a single word! We’re discussing serious business in here; children shouldn’t eavesdrop when adults are talking!” Immediately after, Zhou Huan slammed the door shut, leaving Dongzi stranded outside.

Not long after, a few more officers emerged. In front of the assembled reporters, one spoke loudly: “Friends of the press, please return for today. As soon as we have any progress in this case, we will certainly notify you. Then, I will answer whatever you wish to ask. That is all for today!” As he spoke, he politely ushered the reporters out of the station, finally bringing some quiet.

Inside, Wang Xiaohe and Zhou Huan were present. Zhou Huan sat silently contemplating, while Wang Xiaohe posted photos and personal files of all the deceased onto the wall, meticulously reviewing every detail and social connection of the victims.

Meanwhile, Zhou Huan sat at Xiaohe’s desk, picked up a pen, and began sketching a figure in a red dress with green sleeves onto a piece of paper.

“Brother Huan, starting with the woman who jumped from the building, she was wearing a red dress and green sleeves. The subsequent victims all shared the same feature: the post-mortem signs are identical. I’m thinking about something. Let’s assume the one in the red dress and green sleeves is the killer. What is her motive? Based on your understanding of specters, what is the usual reason they kill people?” Wang Xiaohe asked Zhou Huan while examining the files on the wall.

Zhou Huan did not answer directly. Instead, he drew a large character, “” (Resentment), across his drawing and then stood up, hanging the paper next to the others on the wall: “This is the usual reason why specters harm people. Therefore, resolving her resentment is the most critical step. If we are to investigate, we must start directly from the root of her grievance. Once we find the source, we have hope of stopping her.”

“Resentment? Suicide? Homicide?” Wang Xiaohe slowly murmured, her mind racing. These three concepts seemed to form a very logical sequence. She wrote the six characters on a whiteboard by the wall: “Brother Huan, look at this order; it seems quite logical!”

Zhou Huan said calmly, “Xiaohe, I don’t know how you police officers solve cases, but I know that a person who becomes a ghost and kills after committing suicide must have lacked the power to voice their grievance or release the injustice in their heart while alive, leading them to choose this path.”

“Oh!” Wang Xiaohe let out a long breath, feeling a sense of understanding wash over her. She looked at the data on the wall, and her eyes suddenly lit up: “Brother Huan, the last three victims share one common trait: they all enjoyed drinking. Taxi drivers often have a drink after finishing their night shifts, and they were all previously detained for drunk driving.”

Zhou Huan took up her statement: “The one who just died was also a heavy drinker; the state of the scene speaks for itself. What about the middle one?”

“The middle one, Li Cheng, was a hoodlum. The night before he died, he was out drinking and fighting with someone!” As Wang Xiaohe spoke, someone knocked on the office door.

“Sister Wang, I’m here to drop off the materials.”

Zhou Huan opened the door. It was Xiao Li, looking exhausted. He carried a thick stack of files and placed them on Wang Xiaohe’s desk: “Sister Wang, here is the scene report for Yu Laosi. Also included are the incident report for Wang Qiang’s assault and the release paperwork!”

“Has Wang Qiang served his time?” Wang Xiaohe asked.

“Yes, in another two hours, it will be exactly forty-eight hours. We just need your signature to release him.”

“That scoundrel! Isn't there anything else we can hold him on? Keep him locked up for a few more days so he doesn’t go out causing trouble!” Wang Xiaohe seemed to hate Wang Qiang to the bone, wishing she could detain him longer.

Xiao Li managed a helpless smile: “Sister Wang, everything concerning him is in these reports. Take a look. If we could keep him for a few more years, that would be even better!”

Zhou Huan stood aside, secretly smiling. He and Dongzi had soundly beaten Wang Qiang a few days prior, and he felt like a savior now, having beaten up a widely hated thug. Truly satisfying.

Wang Xiaohe quickly scanned the report on Wang Qiang’s incident and signed it: “Alright, take this and process his release. Remember, do not let him go until the very last second. Consider it saving a fallen life!”

“Understood, Sister Wang. I’m leaving!” Xiao Li turned and walked out. Dongzi was sitting on a chair outside the door, chatting animatedly with a precinct officer, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Zhou Huan didn't care to watch and firmly closed the door.

Wang Xiaohe stared at the large stack of materials before her, continuously running a hand through her hair: “So troubling. Who has the time to look at this stuff now, sigh!” She sighed while organizing the files, picking up Wang Qiang’s incident report to file it away, but as she prepared to archive it, her gaze froze.

“Brother Huan, come look at this!” Wang Xiaohe handed Wang Qiang’s incident report to Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan stepped forward and read the account of Wang Qiang’s fight closely. After finishing, his face instantly flushed crimson, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

Wang Xiaohe paid no mind to Zhou Huan’s reaction; she simply pointed at the details on the paper for him to see: “Look here, involved party: ‘Li Cheng.’ The time was the night before Li Cheng died. The cause: he was attacked by two unidentified individuals, resulting in five injuries, including Li Cheng.”

Zhou Huan quietly affirmed from the side, unable to utter a full sentence.

Wang Xiaohe looked up at Zhou Huan: “Brother Huan, why is your face red? Are you feeling unwell?”

Zhou Huan stammered: “I… actually, I… actually, the people who attacked Wang Qiang that night were Dongzi and me!”

“What?” Wang Xiaohe was both angry and exasperated: “You two beat Wang Qiang? Why?”

Zhou Huan recounted everything from his entanglement with Wang Qiang at Baoguang Temple all the way up to the fight. Wang Xiaohe frowned faintly: “This means the current situation is even more complicated. This case is not unrelated to you either!”

“Then arrest the two of us. But you know for a fact that we didn’t do anything to any of the victims here!” Zhou Huan spoke earnestly.

Wang Xiaohe said softly: “For now, only the two of us know about this. Don’t say anything outside. As for this case, you must clear your own name.”

“Of course. You said Li Cheng associated with Wang Qiang. Then this ghost-resentment case must have some subtle connection to Wang Qiang.” He might as well question Wang Qiang again while he hadn't been released to see what relationship he had with these victims.

Zhou Huan’s statement did prompt Wang Xiaohe. Among the most disruptive individuals in the area, Wang Qiang was certainly one. Questioning Wang Qiang should yield some results. She immediately picked up the phone and dialed the interrogation room: “Bring Wang Qiang in for questioning immediately. I need to speak with him alone!”

“Sister Wang, aren't his matters all concluded? You already signed off!”

“Has he been released?”

“No, not yet!”

“Good. Bring him to your room, and I’ll be right there!” After hanging up the brick-like phone, Xiaohe said to Zhou Huan, “You stay right here in my office and are not allowed to leave. I’ll bring Dongzi in too. You two stay here and think hard about how to deal with that female ghost!”

“Fine. We don’t want to see Wang Qiang anyway, to avoid any further entanglement with him!”

Wang Xiaohe gave a soft hum, put on her police uniform and hat, picked up Wang Qiang’s incident report, and left the room.

A moment later, Dongzi entered the office: “Wow, Sister’s office is something else! Look at how bright it is! I could play football in here!”

“You play football? I’ve never seen you play before?” Zhou Huan looked at his sworn brother of many years, feeling helpless, but always ready with some teasing or sarcastic banter.

Dongzi puffed out his chest proudly: “Of course! I think I was the only one in our village who could play football back then. I could do all the moves that Juninho from England could do!”

“I don’t know about football, but I know Juninho is definitely not English. Listen to the name—does that sound like a British name?”

“I don’t care! Anyway, Juninho was great, and so am I! Watch this if you don’t believe me!” Dongzi got excited and started doing dribbling moves, muttering, “I dodge, I pass...”

Crash!

Smash! Dongzi knocked Wang Xiaohe’s water cup to the floor. The cup shattered, and water splashed everywhere.

Zhou Huan frowned and snapped at Dongzi: “Stop fooling around! You broke her cup! What are you going to use to pay for it? We don’t have a single cent between us!”

Dongzi was extremely embarrassed now. He had only meant to show off his skills but had ended up breaking the cup. He hurriedly squatted down to clean up the pieces.

“Ouch!” As Dongzi picked up the shards of the cup, his finger was cut, and bright red blood began to flow.