Cheng Guang had never felt time move so slowly. He closed his eyes and counted the seconds in his heart.
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
He felt as if he had counted all the way to the end of the world, yet the clock on the wall had barely ticked past ten minutes.
People all fear death; Cheng Guang was no exception.
At the brink of life and death, he couldnโt calm down at all. His brain spun rapidly, and finally, he forced himself to calm down and began to think about why this damned dog was carrying his head in its mouth.
He was sure he hadnโt been exposedโsurely a dogโs intelligence wasnโt high enough to figure out he could see it just from a few of his earlier movementsโ
Thinking of this, Cheng Guang found bitter amusement in the thought: if it were a person holding his head right now, he would already be dead.
After all, his earlier actions had given away far too much.
But why was this dog holding his head?
The dog didnโt know his identity, nor that he could see ghosts, so how unlucky did he have to be to be toyed with like this by a dog!
Amid dead silence, Cheng Guang furtively lifted an eyelid; a wet, sticky tongue licked past his ear, leaving a layer of clumpy flesh.
Stomach acid welled up; Cheng Guang hurriedly shut his eyes again.
Probably because it had eaten people when alive, the dog believed it could eat a person raw even after death, so its spirit form had grown largeโor maybe just its mouth hadโotherwise, it couldnโt possibly fit his head inside.
Cheng Guang couldnโt stop his mind from picturing horrorsโrows of sharp dog teeth, that dripping, slimy tongue, but the overwhelming stench roused him to reality. He pressed his convulsing stomach tightly under the covers and kept cursing himself for opening his psychic eye before bed.
If he couldnโt see anything, he would just be an ordinary person sleeping soundly, oblivious to everything and naturally able to stay alive.
The livestream at midnight was bustling as never before. Cheng Guang had a good reputation and had teamed up to stream with many people. Though these were usually low-stakes, he was popular and generous, so the barrage was full of voices worrying about him.
ใWonโt the officials help? Canโt they at least notify those downstairs to check on Cheng Guang?!ใ
ใCheng Guang, if youโd just put an amulet under your pillow, you wouldnโt be so passive now. The Bureauโs about to break the record for fifteen days without a death! Hang in there, Cheng Guang, donโt make us lose face!ใ
ใHeโs only ever tried easy streams before; never faced mortal danger. Any seasoned hand wouldnโt make this mistakeโat least they wouldnโt only put passive talismans on the wall.ใ
ใExactly. These talismans have a fatal flawโthey only respond to a strong blood aura, which triggers their attack on nearby spirits. But if Cheng Guangโs head gets bitten off in one go, it would be too late for the talisman to activate even if it senses the blood.ใ
A comment suggested a solution: ใBite your own tongue to draw blood? That would give off a bloody aura.ใ
But someone soon rebutted: ใNo guarantee! Cheng Guangโs head is in the dogโs mouth. Can that bit of blood aura from his tongue even get into the air….?ใ
These psychics were all watching with their psychic eyes open, trying to learn more about what was happening in room 709, so they knew exactly what Cheng Guang was up against.
Some had even been glued to the stream from midnight, seeing how the blood-soaked dog entered the room and clamped Cheng Guangโs head. Unfortunately, no matter how much they barraged the stream with warnings, Cheng Guang had slept like the dead.
Now, awake as ever, Cheng Guangโs eyes were fogged with hot breath, and even after over ten minutes, he couldnโt stop the nausea; his stomach spasmed, and he dry-heaved several times.
ใโฆโฆโฆใ
ใItโs overใ
The livestream fell silent as death. Despair swelled up inside Cheng Guangโno tools to draw fresh talismans, chanting an incantation took too long, and the dog could bite through his neck in less than half a second.
In a flash, he remembered there was an unused protective talisman in his jacket just two meters away. If he got desperate and pried open the dogโs mouth, he might make itโthree to five seconds was all heโd need to grab the talisman from his coat!
Once his mind was made up, Cheng Guang prepared to leap up and risk it allโwhen suddenly, laughter sounded in his ear.
โHee heeโฆ hee hee hee heeโฆโ
Cheng Guang froze instantly.
He couldnโt see a thing and had no clue where the laughter came fromโbut one thing was certain…
A dog couldn’t laugh, so…
A faint glow appeared ahead; the dog opened its mouth, letting the lampโs light shine in. Cheng Guang tensed, turning his head just slightly, and saw a womanโor more accurately, a womanโs head.
Her expression was crazed, neurotic eyes locked unblinkingly on him.
Cheng Guangโs mind buzzed, electricity shooting from spine to crown. He went numb, unable to utter a word.
It was He Shuyu.
A moment ago, He Shuyuโs head had been pressed side by side with his, watching his feeble act in the darkness, as if she were toying with him.
Now that Cheng Guang finally saw her, He Shuyuโs mouth split open, grinning ear to ear.
*
23:59.
Jiang Yanโs phone rang precisely on time, and she opened her eyes quickly.
She patted the deeply sleeping Shen Xiaoxiao. Shen Xiaoxiao blinked drowsily, staggered out of bed to splash her face with cold water, then crawled back under the covers.
Midnight had passed; now, He Shuyuโs spirit should be separated from her body, heading to 604.
Because neither of them knew where He Shuyu was buried, they couldnโt be sure how long it would take her to arriveโbut a spirit floats fast; sheโd arrive before sunrise for sure.
โIโll sleep a bit more. If you hear anything, just touch my hand.โ
Seeing that Shen Xiaoxiao was awake, Jiang Yan closed her eyes again.
Shen Xiaoxiao: ?
Her little face scrunched up. โHow could you be like thisโฆโ
Jiang Yan said nothing, half her face buried in the soft pillow, clearly about to doze off again.
โFine, fine,โ Shen Xiaoxiao pouted, but lay back obediently on the bed, eyes glued to the door.
Half an hour later, after tossing and turning for ages, Shen Xiaoxiao finally sat up and softly touched Jiang Yanโs hand.
Her fingertips were quickly hookedโJiang Yan was awake.
Shen Xiaoxiao saw Jiang Yan didnโt open her eyes and, a bit embarrassed, leaned in to whisper, โShe isnโt here yet. Itโs just, I drank too much water tonight and feel uncomfortable nowโฆโ
โDonโt sleep for a bitโI need to use the bathroom.โ
Jiang Yan opened her eyes. โGo ahead.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao glanced at Jiang Yan, confirmed she had nothing to add, then blushed: โWill you come with me?โ
There was no toilet in the room, so theyโd have to go to the communal one on each floor. Shen Xiaoxiao was scared. Sheโd just finished reading a whole horror novelโaccording to the book, anyone sneaking out at midnight was basically giving themselves away, especially if using the public bathroom. Absolutely asking for it.
โNo one survives the supernatural worldโs public bathroom!
As Jiang Yan just rubbed her brow without saying a word, Shen Xiaoxiaoโs face fell ever further.
After a moment, she heard a lovely โLetโs go,โ and then saw Jiang Yan grabbing her jacket from the chair and heading out alone.
Shen Xiaoxiaoโs face lit up with a smile, and she scrambled after her.
โJiang Yan, youโre the best!โ she muttered quietly, dishing out her thanks.
If she hadnโt kept watch for half an hour earlier, Jiang Yan wouldnโt have bothered to comeโbut she shook it off, not even minding the octopus-thing clinging to her shoulder. She just lifted her flashlight and went straight to the communal bathroom.
It was only three minutes from their room. When they arrived, Jiang Yan nodded her chin to urge her to hurry. Shen Xiaoxiao nodded frantically and dashed into a stall.
Shen Xiaoxiao knew nothing would happen, but terrifying images filled her mind. Less than two minutes later, she was out, standing before Jiang Yan, fastening her elastic waistband.
Jiang Yan: โโฆโฆโฆ.โ
Completely unbothered, Shen Xiaoxiao finished adjusting her pants and marched back to the room.
Yet the quiet late-night corridor stoked profound unease. Their footsteps echoed hollow and regular, like drumbeats vibrating against their eardrums.
After just a few steps, Shen Xiaoxiao got scared and pressed close to Jiang Yan again.
They walked along the wall, two almost overlapping sets of footsteps intertwining endlessly.
Da da, da da…
Shen Xiaoxiao could clearly distinguish whose steps were whose, counting them silently as she kept her head down, moving forwardโbut the corridor seemed endless, everything around frozen and still, only the hallway beneath their feet stretching ever farther into darkness.
Something felt off. After another half minute, she hesitated and stopped.
…How long had they been walking?
She looked at her watch: 0:48.
It had been eight minutes since they came out of the bathroom.
Shen Xiaoxiao started to tremble. She tugged at Jiang Yanโs sleeve. โJiang Yan, weโre stuck in a ghost maze!โ
Jiang Yan, having seen similar movies, stayed calm: โI remember if we just keep going, weโll get out.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao hurriedly explained: โNo, thatโs not it! Ghost mazes donโt trap people forever, but Iโm scared… I mean, once the sun rises, He Shuyu will reincarnate. We have to get out before then! What will we do?โ
Jiang Yan found it funny. โArenโt you a psychic? Why are you asking me?โ
Shen Xiaoxiao froze.
Turning to her big sister was just instinct. Shen Huanhuan was a model student who knew all the theory about psychics, so now Shen Xiaoxiao had, without realizing, started treating Jiang Yan as Shen Huanhuan, going to her in every crisis.
But Jiang Yan was not Shen Huanhuan.
Jiang Yan had just entered this field, knowing even less theory than Shen Xiaoxiao.
Flustered, Shen Xiaoxiao felt for her phone to message her sisterโbut realized she hadnโt brought it at all.
When she looked at Jiang Yan, Jiang Yan just held up empty hands. โI didnโt bring mine either.โ
A long silence.
The darkness around them was like melted ink, ready to swallow them whole. Shen Xiaoxiaoโs head nearly dropped to her chest, her body language screaming cluelessness.
โLetโs just keep walking,โ Jiang Yan suggested. โWe should get out in half an hour.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao shook her head. โNo, we need to get out fastโIโm starting to feel bad.โ
She was sensitive to spirits and was sure He Shuyu was right outside the maze.
If He Shuyu had arrived, they couldnโt afford to waste any time.
Shen Xiaoxiao racked her brain, finally recalling a live stream half a year ago.
Back then, she and Shen Huanhuan had visited a village haunted by yellow weasel spirits. The villagers made a living skinning yellow weasels brutally. On their investigation, they ran into a ghost maze.
How did her sister deal with it?
โโYou donโt need to waste any talismans on a maze like this. In fact, there isnโt really a talisman for ghost mazes, because theyโre easy to solve.โ
โโSo next time youโre in a ghost maze, donโt be scared, Xiaoxiao.โ
Her memory ended. Shen Xiaoxiao swallowed, as if to pep herself up: โIโm not scared.โ
โIโll try first. Jiang Yan, follow me.โ
Jiang Yan raised a brow. โOkay.โ
With Jiang Yanโs approval, Shen Xiaoxiao forged ahead, turning ninety degrees at every few steps, and after completing four or five circuits, suddenly passed right through a wall and disappeared from Jiang Yanโs sight.
When she saw Shen Xiaoxiao get out, Jiang Yan covered her earring camera with one hand. A crimson thread slipped from her fingertip, pierced the wall, and instantly vanished.
Within seconds, she reappeared behind Shen Xiaoxiao.
Several puzzled comments slid by in the barrage.
ใAm I hallucinating from exhaustion? Did Jiang Yanโs feed just go black for a couple of seconds?ใ
ใIt did, probably a ghost maze interruptionโcamera lost signal for a bit.ใ
ใMakes sense; the Bureau should upgrade their cameras.ใ
Appearing together in the hallway, with 604 in sight, the two made no move.
โClack, clack, clackโฆโ
In what should have been a silent corridor, dense, heavy knocking echoed.
The knocking grew nearer, rapidโlike three people walking in step at speed. Who could be walking on the sixth floor at this hour?
Jiang Yan lowered her eyes and pulled the frozen Shen Xiaoxiao.
โBack inside.โ
Jiang Yanโs voice was barely a whisper, but it startled Shen Xiaoxiao, already jittery from the mounting drumming.
Jiang Yan shone the flashlight at the floor, pulling Shen Xiaoxiao along.
Moments later, they saw what was making the noise.
It was a person without a head.
With fatal injuries during life, her body was so mutilated that it barely looked human.
She could only crawl on the floor, left knee and arms shuffling forward in unisonโclack, then the right knee followingโclack. The stump of her neck bobbed with her movements, vertebrae clicking with a sharp โka-da.โ
Oddest of all, even in that ruined state, her crawling speed was astonishing; within three seconds, she scuttled eight or nine meters, leaving bright red bloody handprints in her wake.
The bloody smell choked the air; the writhing body was fast approaching room 604. Jiang Yan’s face showed no changeโshe shoved the rigid Shen Xiaoxiao into the room and swiftly closed the door.
Inside, Shen Xiaoxiao clamped a hand over her mouth and collapsed, her legs weak.
The real terror of the scene was impossible to imagine without facing itโso bizarre it sent chills straight to her skull.
Shen Xiaoxiao panted for breath, her chest tight. Jiang Yan, thinking she might suffocate herself, hauled her onto the bed to lighten the mood: โLet me tell you a joke.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao was immensely grateful.
Jiang Yan: โYou were right this afternoon. He Shuyu really is going around looking for her head.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโ
Shen Xiaoxiaoโs voice was spent: โโฆLook at meโIโm dying, forget the black humour, okayโฆโ
Jiang Yanโs scant collaboration was gone; she lay down and pulled up the covers.
Shen Xiaoxiao: โโฆ..โ
But with that change of subject, the fear ebbed considerably. Shen Xiaoxiao had done plenty of missions with Shen Huanhuan and knew what to do.
At this moment, He Shuyu’s body had crawled through the door into the room. Shen Xiaoxiao squeezed her eyes shut.
She peeked a moment later, stealing a glance at the bloody prints on the wall before snapping her eyes shut again.
Credit where itโs due: Jiang Yanโs aura was remarkably strong. She seemed completely unafraid, and that gave Shen Xiaoxiao real security.
Thinking this, Shen Xiaoxiao snuggled closer.
Though she was icy cold.
Cold from Jiang Yanโs arm, Shen Xiaoxiao wriggled a little farther away.
Da-da-da-da-da-daโ
The whole room was filled with the sound of a creature scuttling. He Shuyu was clearly searching for her lost head, moving slowly and erratically, sometimes nearly tumbling out the window.
Jiang Yan opened her eyes to watch He Shuyuโs twisted limbs, her gaze thoughtful. Suddenly, she flicked a fingertip, knocking a trinket from the bedside table to the floor.
โBang!
Shen Xiaoxiao froze in fright, then scrambled to fish out two protective talismans, shoving one into Jiang Yanโs hand.
But, as expected, the body didnโt react.
He Shuyu just kept crawling. Bloody and terrifying, but that was allโshe paid no attention to the sound.
Jiang Yan called her: โHe Shuyu.โ
Still no response. She pressed against the wardrobe, motionless.
Shen Xiaoxiao understood now.
It was only He Shuyuโs body that cameโthe body had no head, thus no mind and no senses. It posed absolutely no threat.
Jiang Yan got out of bed and walked over.
She examined her injuries carefully.
Shen Xiaoxiao edged over: โDo we need to help her find her head?โ
Shen Xiaoxiaoโs fear of He Shuyu was simple: her death was too hideous, too terrifying, and as a mentally ill person, she could suddenly turn violent.
Ordinary souls during the seven days after death rarely pose a risk; they just want to visit their families. They have no grievances with strangers and cannot harm kin or strangers.
Even if a psychic was noticed by such a ghost, ghosts with lingering humanity wonโt harm psychics.
Now, with He Shuyu in this state, she couldnโt harm them, but nor could she provide answers.
Jiang Yan nodded: โYes, but itโs not our job.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao was puzzled.
Jiang Yan said blandly, โHe Shuyuโs head probably got carried to 709 by the dogโCheng Guangโs gain.โ
If Cheng Guang could resolve this issue, heโd surely be promoted; after getting the head, heโd certainly come to 604 for them. So Jiang Yan planned to nap first.
Shen Xiaoxiao was soon convinced and lay down as well, snuggling a bit closer before sleep.
At 1:30 am, both their camera devices suddenly beeped.
Red lights flashed urgentlyโlike death omens.
Shen Xiaoxiao was jolted awake, groggy eyes struggling to registerโuntil cold sweat broke out.
She jumped out of bed, barefoot, and dashed outside.
โHurry, hurry, hurryโโ
โJiang Yan, Cheng Guangโs in danger!!โ
*
Only Cheng Guang seemed in danger tonight.
Shen Xiaoxiao ran fast to the seventh floor. Jiang Yan sighed, and before leaving, wound a red line around 604โs doorknob, trapping He Shuyuโs body inside.
Cheng Guangโs door was unlocked; Shen Xiaoxiao pushed straight through and rushed to the bedroom.
The sight made her recoil several steps.
He Shuyuโs head lay motionless in a corner; most of the wall talismans had triggered, but clearly hadnโt killed the evil dogโif anything, they had only provoked it further.
The black dog, as big as half a man, was gnawing Cheng Guangโs throat, sucking away any blood as soon as it spilled.
Cheng Guang lay half on the floor, upper body trembling, head droopingโhis fate uncertain.
Shen Huanhuanโs gaze fell on Cheng Guangโs hand: he was clutching a protective talisman, but the cinnabar was smeared with blood, rendering it useless.
Sensing someoneโs arrival, Cheng Guangโs fingers twitched, unfocused eyes drifting to the door.
Seeing he was still alive, Shen Xiaoxiao sighed in relief, pressed a talisman between her fingers, and hurried over. The black dog quickly released Cheng Guang, drooling as it moved toward her.
Shen Xiaoxiaoโs instinct was to call for help.
Maybe not even to ask for helpโshe just wanted someone there with her, even silently watching. Anything to be less afraid. But glancing at the doorway, she saw Jiang Yan hadnโt arrived.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Xiaoxiao mustered her courage, running forward, chanting the incantation, and slapped the talisman onto Cheng Guang.
A clear, glowing light enveloped him.
She quickly pulled another talisman from her pocket, just as she began to repeat the incantation, a gust of wind stirred her hair. Time seemed to slow. When she snapped back, He Shuyuโs head had already bitten her wrist.
Shen Xiaoxiaoโs hand went limp, dropping the yellow talisman to the floor. Blood dripped from her wrist onto the charmโrendering it useless.
He Shuyu smiled maliciously, face crazed, muttering, โHe loves me, he doesnโt love me. I love baby, I love baby most.โ
โRed dress, white dress, mom gives out red envelopes for New Year, who does mom give the money to…โ
Shen Xiaoxiao mentally noted both lines, then squatted, shielding her vital parts.
Having three protective talismans should have been enough for tonight, but sheโd given one to Jiang Yan before bed, then wasted another, so now she had none left.
But she still wore the protective mirror from her master. It would save her life in an emergency, so all she needed to do was protect herself and let the charm do the rest.
Jiang Yan entered to see that very scene.
The room reeked of blood. Shen Xiaoxiao curled up in a corner, while Cheng Guang, pale as death, could only gasp hoarsely.
Cheng Guang struggled to open his eyes, watching Jiang Yan stride over. She casually stepped onto the empty floor between her and the mad dog; the dog writhed in agony, fell to the floor convulsing, and vomited out the blood it had just swallowed.
No one else realized what happened, but Cheng Guang understood: Jiang Yan had crushed the dogโs appetite for fleshโsnuffing it out with a single step.
A spirit of her caliberโif she started killing, how many would die? Why had Master set her loose…
Jiang Yan squatted beside Cheng Guang.
Weak on the floor, he had no hope that Jiang Yan would save him; how could he expect anything from a nature spirit?
He was so sleepy nowโblood loss made him dizzy; his life was flashing by in his mind.
He was going to die.
There were so many things unfinished, but he was dying.
Just as Cheng Guang lamented not even being able to utter last words, Jiang Yan took a white jade bottle from her pocket and poured out a smooth, white pill.
โThis was my prize from last season,โ Jiang Yan said. โThereโs only one left.โ
She offered it to Cheng Guangโs mouth. โTake it.โ
Cheng Guang blinked, sure he was hallucinating from blood loss.
He tried to move, intending to simply lie down and die. Jiang Yan saw through him and pushed her hand closer. โNo?โ
Pill fragrance wafted toward him. Cheng Guang felt slightly clearer and bent his head to inspect the pill. His face froze; disbelief washed over him.
He recognized the pill at once.
Condensing Spirit Pill.
Refined by the top alchemists of Daoist sects. Rumoured to bring the dead to life and regrow flesh and bone, though that was an exaggerationโit couldnโt cure cancer or raise the dead. But it was still ranked among the very best pills in the sectโbecause it repaired wounded spirits.
Only a spirit could harm a spiritโthe black dogโs attack struck Cheng Guangโs soul directly. When the soul was hurt, the body displayed the same injuries. Thatโs why a hospital was useless; Cheng Guang was mortally wounded in his spiritโa fatal injury doctors couldnโt fix.
His throat was dry, making speech impossible; he could only stare at Jiang Yanโs hand.
Jiang Yanโs tone was gentle: โDonโt feel burdened; arenโt I your senior sister?โ
Cheng Guang suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
He recalled his earlier fear and resentment of Jiang Yan, guilt filling his eyes. What was he thinkingโwas he even human??
What a jerk heโd been.
What had he been thinking just now?
Heโd doubted Masterโs decision. Monsters are supposed to be selfish, but Jiang Yan was wonderfulโshe gave him her only pill, acting cold but so soft-hearted underneath.
How could he have thought otherwise? He was twenty, about to graduate from university, yet still believed the one-sided words in books.
โThankโฆโ He managed a syllable.
Jiang Yan shook her head.
Time didnโt allow sentimentality; he broke the pill, swallowing two-thirds and returning the rest to Jiang Yan, who handed it straight to Shen Xiaoxiao.
Shen Xiaoxiao was both flattered and startled: โNo need, itโs too precious. Minor wounds heal in a day or two on their ownโIโll be fine!โ
โCongrats, Brother GuangโI really thought you were a goner!โ
Cheng Guang was all the more moved.
Look, this was the real Jiang Yan. Even though Shen Xiaoxiaoโs wound was trivial, she still wanted to help!
With the night half spent, Jiang Yan, quietly enduring Cheng Guangโs awestruck stares, picked up He Shuyu’s head and left 709.
โAs she expected, humans placed enormous value on life-saving debt.
When she chose her prize, she was very clear: all the other prizes were one-use talismansโgone after one shot. Only the pills were sustainable: she could trade for favour and benefit continually.
And as for Cheng Guangโeven leaving aside his closeness with He Qingyuan, his network in the Bureau and among relatives was well worth saving once.
At 3 am, the livestream still had many viewers.
ใDid anyone figure out how Jiang Yan subdued both the head and the dog?ใ
ใMust have been attack talismansโcamera didnโt catch it.ใ
ใRegardless, Jiang Yanโs character is amazingโso selfless, giving away a pill of that grade.ใ
ใYeah, who wouldnโt want to team up with someone like that, QAQใ
ใJust to sayโJiang Yanโs phrasing was weird: โThereโs only one left.โ Sounds like there are more elsewhere.ใ
ใDonโt overthink itโnot only would that discourage Jiang Yan, but itโd also discourage me!ใ
Back in the room, Jiang Yan hung He Shuyuโs head on the coat rack behind the door, and out of the cameraโs view, put the other two pills back in the white jade vial.
The whole roomโs walls had turned blood-red, thick with layered bloody handprints.
After Jiang Yan entered 709, He Shuyuโs head had been perfectly still. Now, back in room 604, when she saw her own body, it kept dodging, avoiding reunion at all costs.
Shen Xiaoxiao, who hadnโt seen clearly how Jiang Yan subdued the black dog, wanted to askโbut seeing this, she forgot everything else. โWhatโs happeningโwhy’s her head hiding now?โ
Jiang Yan replied blandly, โBecause sheโs awake.โ
He Shuyu lifted her eyelids. Stripped of all the blood and drool, her face would have been gentle.
She looked at Shen Xiaoxiao apologetically. โSorry. When I woke just now, I was biting your wristโฆโ
Shen Xiaoxiao understoodโHe Shuyu was having an episode earlier, and now she was almost like a normal person.
She waved it off generously. โDonโt worry, it barely broke the skin. But your illness is scaryโfar too much aggression.โ
He Shuyu was apologetic. โI donโt know whyโwhen it hits, I get so frightening, more violent and vicious than normal mental illness…โ
Jiang Yan: โDo you remember what you just did?โ
He Shuyu shook her head: โJust a few blurry flashes. I canโt recall details.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao thought of He Shuyuโs life and sighed. โYouโve had it hard.โ
He Shuyu gave a bitter smile and lowered her head.
He Shuyuโs headless body was still searching for her head, now dangling from the ceiling lamp, bloody legs swinging and occasionally kicking Jiang Yanโs shoulder.
It was a bizarre scene. He Shuyu gazed at Jiang Yan, who didnโt flinch at all, and guessed their identities, softly asking, โAre youโฆ that kind of master? Investigating my death?โ
Jiang Yan answered plainly: โYes.โ
He Shuyu sighed, โThereโs nothing to investigateโI killed myself.โ
โThat dog liked raw meat and was vicious. I heard it was kept by 709 first, then bit their own child, but was still kept. No one wanted to get involved. Later, 709 was abandoned, and Aunt Wang took over, then my husband. He went on a work trip; I didnโt feed it for a few days… The day I killed myself, the dog was starving. Add the smell of blood from my slit wristsโit pounced on me as soon as I got close.โ
Jiang Yan: โWhy?โ
He Shuyuโs voice was barely audible. โGuilt… maybe other feelings too. Every day was torture.โ
โDid it hurt? Did you scream?โ
โNoโฆโ
โWhy choose this way to die?โ
โI made a mistake.โ
He Shuyuโs gaze drifted to the sticker-covered mirror. She was thinking of how her failure had let Zhang Xiaoliang get stabbed in the eye by glass.
As a mother, sheโd let her child be blinded for lifeโa true mistake.
Jiang Yan stared at He Shuyu, falling silent.
He Shuyu was telling the truth; she really did kill herself.
But Shen Xiaoxiao didnโt buy it.
She blurted out, โThen why did you hint at the police during your call? We read your novelโno mention of a red dress! The only dress in there was about marital problems! Stop covering for Zhang Tian!โ
He Shuyu was taken aback that theyโd read the novel. She paused, then shook her head.
โI wasnโt covering for him. Everything I said is trueโabout that phone call, I did want the police to come, because I was experiencing domestic violence and wanted help.โ
โBut I didnโt know how police respond, and my hints were too vague, so the police never came, and eventually the violence stopped.โ
Shen Xiaoxiao was left gaping.
She hadnโt expected that. He Shuyuโs story seemed plausibleโeven the odd noises in her call sounded like someone muffling her and hitting her.
But Jiang Yan suddenly laughed.
Her voice was soft but unquestionable. โYouโre lying.โ
He Shuyu raised her voice. โNo, why would I lie to you?โ
Jiang Yan stepped back, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her powers made He Shuyuโs denial pointless.
โZhang Tian never hit youโor at least, not when you made that call.โ
Jiang Yan actually liked that He Shuyu was lying, since it gave her leverageโshe never liked the โsuicideโ answer; more complicated stories intrigued her.
She mused aloud, โWhy pick domestic violence?โ
โYou could have lied about anything, yet you chose domestic violenceโcan I infer that…โ
Jiang Yan paused, โYou have strong memories of violence, maybe from that very night. So when trying to justify your call, you instantly grabbed for that as your excuse?โ
โWhen you called the police, Zhang Tian was hitting someoneโwasnโt he?โ
He Shuyuโs face changed.
โWas it Zhang Xiaoliang?โ Jiang Yan asked.
She watched He Shuyu closely, then shook her head.
By now, the livestream audience was baffled.
ใ???ใ
ใHow can she be sure? Isnโt that a leap?ใ
ใNoโjudging by He Shuyuโs faceโฆ Jiang Yanโs probably right.ใ
ใIf she were a top psychologist, this would be possible. Everyone at the Bureau has side gigsโlawyers, doctors, CEOs. Maybe Jiang Yanโs a psychology expert.ใ
ใBesides, the third-ranked doesnโt need powersโthey can read a character by sight.ใ
Jiang Yan, unaware of the commentary, ran through every possibility: coworker, relative, strangerโbut He Shuyuโs reaction ruled them all out.
Finally, almost amused by her own idea, Jiang Yan smiled and voiced one last possibility.
โWas Zhang Tian hittingโฆโ
She said slowly, โ…his lover at the time?โ