"Hey, how much does it cost? I haven't paid yet!" Dongzi shouted, then he turned to Xiao He and said, "Sister, lend me some money. I'll go down and pay her back. This girl is actually quite decent. When I said I had no money and asked to put it on credit, she told me to come with her to collect it; she didn't haggle with me. I'll go down and pay her!" In truth, Dongzi primarily didn't want to stay there in close proximity to the corpse.

Xiao He pulled a fifty-yuan green bill from her pocket and handed it to Dongzi. Dongzi stuffed it into his own pocket and fled down the stairwell at a blistering pace of eighty miles per hour.

Zhou Huan watched Dongzi leave, feeling utterly helpless, but as he rummaged through the bag of items Dongzi had purchased, he sighed deeply. "Ah, I completely forgot something! Why didn't I tell him to get some orpiment?"

"Orpiment? What's that for?" Xiao He asked Zhou Huan, perplexed.

"To ward off evil, to drive out malevolent spirits!" Zhou Huan clasped his hands behind his back, circling the corpse, muttering to himself, "Well, I can only try my best to prevent the lingering resentment from harming anyone else. Tonight, I'll force it to manifest and let it pass on. Yes, this is the only way to proceed!"

Xiao He was thoroughly confused by Zhou Huan's actions and was about to ask what was going on when a voice from Wang Qiang's hospital room interrupted: "It seems this one is truly an expert!"

Zhou Huan and Xiao He both turned toward the room. Old Mr. Wang walked out, hands behind his back, speaking as he moved. Although his appearance suggested advanced age, the inherent bearing of a soldier remained undeniable.

"Little Master, may I ask where you studied your arts? To be so skilled at handling a corpse," Old Mr. Wang approached Zhou Huan and asked quietly, his tone conveying both authority and a deep, innate respect.

Zhou Huan returned the courtesy with a slight, respectful bow. "You must be Wang Qiang's father. I only know a little, just enough that I don't want the deceased wandering aimlessly. I hope he can find reincarnation soon."

"I am a soldier; I normally don't believe in ghosts and spirits. But after witnessing this scene today, I have no choice but to believe."

Zhou Huan offered a faint smile. "Old sir, it seems you have no choice this time. Your son might soon face the consequences of karma."

"What? This could involve my son?" Old Mr. Wang paused, as if struggling to accept Zhou Huan’s words. However, he sensed the undeniable confidence in Zhou Huan's voice, realizing this was no idle talk. Still, in front of others, he had to maintain his composure. "My son would never do anything wrong. I raise him strictly, and he is usually very obedient." As he finished speaking, Old Mr. Wang furtively scanned his surroundings, then let out a soft cough.

Zhou Huan and Xiao He frowned deeply. Almost everyone present knew what kind of person Wang Qiang was; for Old Mr. Wang to praise his precious son so highly was truly astonishing to them all.

Noticing their expressions, Old Mr. Wang stepped closer to Zhou Huan. "Master, could we perhaps speak inside the room? There are some matters I need to discuss with you, and it's not suitable out here." There was a hint of pleading in Old Mr. Wang's expression. Anyone could tell he needed Zhou Huan's guidance, yet he struggled to let go of his military officer's dignity, especially since he was a well-known businessman locally and a contributor to Andong’s development.

Hearing Old Mr. Wang speak this way, Zhou Huan didn't want to completely undermine him. He simply nodded faintly. "Please wait a moment. Once we have dealt with this body, we can talk at length. I also have a few things I need to discuss with your young master."

"Excellent, excellent. Is there anything else you need done? I can have my subordinates take care of it."

"Nothing much, other than I’m curious why you called me an expert?"

"That..." Old Mr. Wang pondered for a moment. "It must be a coincidence. We can discuss it further once we are inside."

Zhou Huan said, "Very well. Let me ask one favor now. Please help me prepare five liang and five qian of orpiment, seven liang and two fen of cinnabar, five jin, four liang, and three qian of unhulled glutinous rice, and half a jin of yellow wine."

"Done, no problem. Getting these few things in Andong City is hardly difficult." Old Mr. Wang then beckoned to the two bodyguards who had followed him, and they hurried over.

Old Mr. Wang immediately instructed them, "Go quickly now, prepare these things for the Master: five liang and five qian of orpiment, seven liang and two fen of cinnabar, five jin, four liang, and three qian of unhulled glutinous rice, and half a jin of yellow wine! Be fast, bring them back immediately once you have them!"

"Old sir, your memory is truly remarkable, especially at your age!"

"You flatter me. These items are quite easy to remember!"

The police officers Xiao He had called earlier had arrived. The entire third floor of the hospital was cordoned off with police tape. An officer ran up to Xiao He and whispered in her ear, "Sister Wang, the Chief is furious. Hearing that another person died, he ordered us to escort you back, as he wants to hand this case over to Team Three."

"I understand!" Xiao He replied. Turning, she walked to a corner of the hallway and pulled out her phone to call the Chief.

Zhou Huan couldn't hear what Xiao He said on the phone, but her final words before hanging up were spoken quite loudly: "Chief, regardless, this case is at a critical juncture right now. I promise you a complete explanation by tomorrow morning—please trust me!" Xiao He then hung up and returned to Zhou Huan's side.

Old Mr. Wang clearly heard every word. He had not held a high opinion of Xiao He previously, but at that moment, he felt a surge of profound respect. For a woman in the police force to display such resolve was rare. He murmured to himself, "Well done. If she were one of my soldiers, I would certainly assign her the most critical missions!"

Zhou Huan noticed the instant shift in Old Mr. Wang's attitude toward Xiao He and sensed that something significant must have transpired to cause such a sudden change in his demeanor toward him.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and the two bodyguards returned with the items Old Mr. Wang had ordered prepared for Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan counted the implements in his hand and nodded lightly. "Xiao He, please guard the perimeter. I'm about to start work!"

"Understood!" Xiao He then commanded, "Xiao Li, no matter what happens, no one is allowed inside the police line except for us!"

By this time, Zhou Huan had lit his incense and candles. He placed the candles beneath the body suspended from the ceiling, held the bundle of incense in his hands, and bowed in all directions. "I am Zhou Huan, a mere novice. I am here today to send this deceased soul on its way. I ask for your accommodation, and paper money and ingots will be offered shortly!"

The officers outside the tape line struggled against their nausea, diligently guarding the area of Zhou Huan's ritual. Old Mr. Wang, however, stood inside the line, watching intently.

"Heaven and Earth, spirits and gods, clear the path for the practitioner. Let no onlookers speak—now, I present these ingots!" Zhou Huan took half of the paper ingots Dongzi had bought and scattered them on the hallway floor. "Everyone, look closely. These ingots are all for you. I will burn them downstairs for you later!"

Xiao He saw Zhou Huan scattering the ingots on the ground and assumed he intended to burn them right there. She asked, "Brother Huan, isn't burning them in the hallway inappropriate?"

"Xiao He, go find Dongzi. Have him prepare to go downstairs to find a place to burn the paper. It's best if you send a couple of men with him to prevent these spirits from fighting over the ingots and causing a chaotic fire." Zhou Huan explained the necessary precautions to Xiao He in detail.

After hearing Zhou Huan’s explanation, Xiao He took the paper ingots and headed downstairs. Her hair flowed rhythmically with her steps, accompanied by a faint breeze that seemed to follow her from an unknown source.

Zhou Huan chanted softly, "All beings of the Netherworld, come downstairs to claim your ingots. After receiving them, wait downstairs and do not wander about; some small amount of paper money will be offered shortly."

With both preliminary opening rites complete, Zhou Huan divided the ten shi of burnt paper into two portions: one for the bespectacled young man, and the other for the spirits of the Netherworld he was about to summon. Next, Zhou Huan uncorked the yellow wine and took a mouthful. Then, grasping a handful of glutinous rice, he gently rubbed it, slightly crushing some of the husks. He then sprayed the yellow wine from his mouth onto the rice in his hand, chanting, "One mouthful of wine, to strengthen the hero’s courage; a handful of rice, to fight for one's breath!" Zhou Huan then casually scattered this handful of rice onto the body of the bespectacled young man.

Subsequently, Zhou Huan pulled out a talisman paper from his pocket, poured the seven liang and two fen of cinnabar over it with some yellow wine, and mixed the orpiment into the glutinous rice. Zhou Huan stirred the cinnabar until it was dissolved, dipped a finger in the mixture, and began drawing the Soul-Calming Charm onto the talisman paper, chanting continuously, "Heavens and Earth, vast and boundless; Mountains and Rivers, ceaselessly flowing; Let the departed go, their souls wandering the dark realm; Let the clear ones rise, the seven souls return to the body."

Once the Soul-Calming Charm was inscribed, Zhou Huan raised his hand and affixed the talisman directly onto the corpse of the bespectacled young man. He then scooped up a handful of the orpiment-laced glutinous rice, sprang up from the ground, and stuffed this handful directly into the open mouth of the deceased.

"Old Mr. Wang, could you please find me a large basin?" Zhou Huan’s gaze remained fixed on the corpse, monitoring the changes.

Old Wang called one of his bodyguards, who fetched a large basin from the nurses' station. Zhou Huan poured all the remaining cinnabar into the basin—a basin large enough to bathe a six or seven-year-old child.

Zhou Huan placed the large basin beneath the body of the young man suspended from the chandelier. He then grabbed another large handful of glutinous rice and sprinkled a complete circle of it around the basin, finally scattering the last few grains where Old Mr. Wang stood, closing the circle. "Old Mr. Wang, please stand outside this circle of rice. It is not safe to stand inside."

"Oh, alright, I'll just watch!" Old Mr. Wang found Zhou Huan's procedure novel and had never witnessed anything like it. He didn't know what was about to happen, but at this moment, all he knew was that he trusted Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan sealed the circle with the rice, then sat cross-legged on the floor. He raised his right hand into a sword finger, supporting his right wrist with his left hand, and chanted, "Spirit of Brother Glasses, accept the Soul-Calming Charm!" He then pointed his sword finger at the corpse, tracing several circles back and forth.

This tracing had an immediate and drastic effect on the corpse. The feet, initially bound by the green sleeves, began to soften as Zhou Huan drew the circles. The skin started to crack, and starting from the big toe, the flesh fractured into small pieces, dropping from mid-air into the large basin Zhou Huan had prepared. As the shredded flesh fell, the green sleeves binding the feet ignited, turning to ash that scattered everywhere.

Next came the legs. The flesh on the legs gradually decayed, turning into hardened, rotten pieces that fell away bit by bit. The lower half of the corpse slowly revealed pure, stark white bone. As the rotting flesh dropped, the bones also fractured into small fragments falling into the basin.

Seeing this, Old Mr. Wang was stunned. Watching the body, now reduced to only the upper torso, his stomach began to revolt, causing him to retch repeatedly. But a soldier is a soldier; their endurance and willpower differ from ordinary people. He stubbornly held his ground, watching Zhou Huan complete the disposal of the corpse.