The door to the conference room was pushed open, and a police officer who looked like an official strode in. "Xiao He, I've been looking everywhere for you. As soon as I got back, I heard you were in a meeting discussing the female ghost."

Xiao He paused for a beat, and her expression immediately softened upon seeing the newcomer. "Director, Xiao Li told me. Wang Qiang's family came looking for me again this morning!"

"Mm, their son is hospitalized. They suspect you used some kind of trick on him. I showed his father the surveillance footage to prove you didn't do anything to Wang Qiang."

"By the way, Director, do you know what illness Wang Qiang has?" Xiao He asked tentatively, knowing Wang Qiang's father was a former superior of the Director.

The Director lit a cigarette, took a drag, and said, "I heard it's some kind of strange sickness. The hospital hasn't even confirmed what the problem is yet!"

"Could it be necrotic skin rot?" Zhou Huan interjected upon hearing this, asking the question.

The Director saw Zhou Huan, gave a slight smile as if finding him amusing, and asked, "And who are you? Then he turned back to Wang Xiao He, "Is this a worker you hired? Why is he inquiring about everything?"

"Director, he is Master Zhou Shou, he specializes in helping us solve cases," Xiao He quickly answered for Zhou Huan.

The Director was dismissive. To be honest, he held Zhou Huan in low regard; Zhou Huan's face was too fair, and his clothes were incredibly old-fashioned, as he was wearing the worn-out garments of old Song. "Actually, I don't know either. Right, Xiao He, I don't care who you invite back, but he doesn't need to show up for every matter. Besides, whatever illness Wang Qiang has seems unrelated to this case, doesn't it?"

Xiao He tried to explain, but the Director mocked her with a grin. "Shou Shi? Hmph, hmph, what kind of title is that? Interesting!" He clasped his hands behind his back and walked toward the door. "Xiao He, wrap up this case quickly. It's taking up too much time."

"Understood, Director!" Xiao He called out, then walked over to Zhou Huan and comforted him. "Brother Huan, they don't know what's going on. Hurry up and tell me your thoughts. I feel like you're onto something. We need to start our investigation with Wang Qiang and see if he had any connection to the female ghost when she was alive."

"There definitely is a connection; I recognize that car, no doubt about it!"

"Good, let's head downstairs. We'll grab some lunch later; they should have found out about that accompanying woman by this afternoon!" To prevent the Director’s words from affecting Zhou Huan's morale, Wang Xiao He pulled him downstairs. Before they reached the office, someone called out to Xiao He.

Zhou Huan entered Xiao He's office alone.

"Sister Wang, we've identified the accompanying woman and the license plate number. The female ghost is Guo Hua, and the one with her is Sun Ying."

"Tell me about it in my office later; I need to get some water first!" Wang Xiao He said, striding toward the restroom. She washed her face with cool water, then poured a cup of lukewarm water from a paper cup and drank it before returning to the office. Zhou Huan pulled up a chair and sat before the evidence wall, deep in thought.

The police officer entered the office almost simultaneously with Xiao He. The officer reported, "The car's owner is Wang Jungang, who is Wang Qiang's father. Both Guo Hua and Sun Ying are service attendants at Apple KTV, moonlighting as hostesses!"

"Is that all?" Xiao He asked.

The officer replied, "That's all for now. We've already gone to the KTV to investigate Sun Ying."

"Alright, go tell the team investigating Sun Ying to bring her in; I want to question her myself!"

"Yes, I'll go right away!" The officer turned and left!

Zhou Huan remained silent. Xiao He pulled up a stool and sat beside him. Both of their gazes were fixed on the evidence posted on the wall. Xiao He added the newly acquired clues onto the display.

All the case files were spread across Xiao He's desk, along with the data files of several deceased persons on the computer, and the profiles of the two women just received from her colleague. Her police car's siren unit rested beneath the computer screen.

"Beep beep beep!" The car alarm on the desk blared.

"What's going on? Is someone tampering with the patrol car?" Xiao He turned and rushed out to the backyard to see what was wrong with the vehicle.

Just as they stepped out, a man came in from outside, his hand bleeding slightly. Seeing Wang Xiao He, he exclaimed, "Sister, why won't your car door open? Look, my hand is bleeding from the impact!"

Wang Xiao He recognized him as Dongzi. Seeing his hand and hearing his words, she asked, "Then how did you get out?"

"One of the young guys at the station helped me. He saw me smash the windshield to try and climb out from inside and helped me open the door!" As soon as Dongzi finished speaking, Xiao He was so angry her nose felt crooked.

Xiao He looked at Dongzi's state and felt helpless, knowing that although this kid was a bit slow, he was often the one who would rush to the front in a crisis. She forcibly suppressed her rage. "Dongzi, remember this, you can call or shout if you need anything. If you keep acting like this, I'll eventually lose my temper and kill you!"

"Dongzi, do you know how much a windshield costs? Do you have money to pay for it? You've infuriated me!" Zhou Huan saw the situation spiraling out of control and stepped forward to smooth things over, raising his hand and delivering a flurry of loud slaps to the back of Dongzi’s head, like falling rain.

"Alright, stop hitting him. I'll handle this. You two carry on arguing!" Xiao He said, stepping out the door.

When Xiao He left, Zhou Huan moved closer to Dongzi. "Dongzi, are you really that stupid? You smashed the police car's glass? If everyone didn't already know what you're like, they would have arrested you already!"

"I got it, Brother. So, what do we do now?"

"What can we do? Your Sister Xiao He will sort it out for you. You have to come with me to the hospital later, and remember, no more pulling stunts like this!"

As the two were talking, Xiao He pushed the door open. She extended her thumb and index finger, pinching firmly into Zhou Huan's armpit, her beautiful eyes fixed on Dongzi while exerting force. "Listen up, you're forfeiting this month's salary. If anything like this happens again, I swear I'll sell you both to a coal mine!"

Zhou Huan suppressed the pain, his expression unchanged, though beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. His teeth were clenched so tightly that his large eyeballs protruded slightly.

Seeing Zhou Huan's state, some of the anger drained from Xiao He's heart. She secretly chuckled at his purely physiological reaction, then released the vice-like grip of her demonic fingers.

"Zhou Huan, if you ever make a mistake again, hmph!" She extended two fingers again.

Zhou Huan instinctively retreated. "I wouldn't dare, Little One wouldn't dare!"

Dongzi started laughing foolishly beside them, his hand still slowly oozing blood!

"Alright, Dongzi, go find Xiao Li and have him bandage your wound." Dongzi turned and left the office.

As soon as Dongzi left, a police officer pushed the door open. "Sister Wang, we brought Sun Ying back. When we found her, she was doing drugs with a drunkard!"

"Good, I'll go talk to her. Master Zhou Shou, you come with me; I think you might have some questions for her!" Xiao He then instructed the officer, "Go find the forensic examiner and ask them to sober Sun Ying up first!"

"Understood, I'm leaving now!"

Xiao He turned back to Zhou Huan, her affectionate gaze carrying the deeply buried sparks of love, instantly making Zhou Huan's nerves tense up, giving him a floating sensation.

"Let's go, time to work!" Xiao He led Zhou Huan out, striding purposefully toward the interrogation room.

In the interrogation room sat a woman with striking, fiery red hair—just the color was different from the woman in the video. This woman wore a midriff-baring tank top, paired with extremely short shorts that revealed a swath of snowy white legs. The faint stubble on her legs seemed to have been recently removed. The edge of her shorts offered a tantalizing glimpse of half a buttock. Her arms lay weakly on her lap, tightly bound by handcuffs. A clear, colorful rhododendron tattoo was visible on her right shoulder.

The woman's head was tilted back, her eyes tightly shut, as if she were still savoring the illusion induced by the drugs.

"Sun Ying!" Xiao He commanded sharply.

The woman struggled to lift her head, her hazy eyes fixing on Xiao He. "Who are you? Why are you calling me?"

Zhou Huan found a chair beside Xiao He and sat down, meticulously observing the woman's every move.

"Are you sober? If you are, answer my questions first." Xiao He spoke while assessing the woman's condition, knowing that someone who had just used drugs needed time to clear their head. She tried gently guiding the woman's responses. "First, tell me, is your name Sun Ying?"

The woman drawled stickily, "Yeah!"

"Then tell me, what is your job, and why are you using drugs?" Xiao He intensified her offensive.

"I am the treasure of men; which man wouldn't drool over me? It’s all thanks to my natural beauty, hahaha!" With that, Sun Ying laughed out in frustration, smoothing her hair with her powerless hands.

Xiao He sensed she was becoming slightly clearer based on her tone. Xiao He continued, "Do you know Guo Hua? What is your relationship with her?"

At the mention of Guo Hua, Sun Ying’s eyes flickered, then she seemed to feign sluggishness again. "Guo Hua? Don't know her." Suddenly, her body began to convulse, and her expression grew strangely tense. Her round eyes widened, and she stretched out her trembling hands. "Sister, is there any more powder? Give me some, I can't take it!"

Xiao He had seen plenty of stubborn types like this; her favorite tactic was to play along. "Fine, you want powder, is that right?" Xiao He stood up, turned, opened the door, and whispered a few words to an officer. Soon, the officer returned with a plastic bag containing a mound of white powder and handed it to Xiao He.

Xiao He snatched the plastic bag and tossed it to Sun Ying. "Here's your powder. Come on, it's all yours. Use it!"

Zhou Huan was startled by Xiao He's action and quickly stood up, picking up the bag that had fallen to the floor. "Xiao He, what are you doing?"

"Brother Huan, come back. If she wants to use it, let her use enough to satisfy herself. Don't stop her!"

Sun Ying looked at Xiao He's move, then down at the bag of white powder before her, and her expression instantly became one of surprise, her eyeballs darting wildly in their sockets.