Ghost Detective Records

Chapter 3

The closer the car got to Heart Lake, the fewer vehicles there were. It really was a quiet place amidst the hustle and bustle. It's a pity that the feng shui is bad; it's a haunted place where more than a dozen people have died. No wonder people no longer call it Heart Lake, but just Ghost Lake.

Finally, we arrived at Heart Lake. Although we had been there before for the on-site inspection, the sheer number of police officers and onlookers at the time prevented us from fully appreciating its beauty. Now, Heart Lake appears quite beautiful, an eerie kind of beauty, like a bloodthirsty demon, untouched by human life. Because there's no one around, not even a bird in sight, it's eerily still. The lake's surface is as calm as a mirror, reflecting all the misery and evil of the world. Who knows what lies hidden beneath this tranquil surface! The surrounding trees are towering, and the thickets are dense. It's truly rare to find such an unspoiled natural environment in this city. Heart Lake's preservation is entirely due to its terrifying legend; is this reason for its enduring beauty a blessing or a curse?

"A place like this really does have a strong sense of injustice," Fang Lei said, stroking a large tree beside her.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Of course, you see, its orientation is west, and the west is the paradise of the dead. Its lake shape resembles a heart, so people call it Heart Lake. And the heart is a very magical and mysterious thing in the world of magic. Lakes are actually places that easily absorb ghostly energy from the underworld. The reason why people like mountains and water is not only because mountains and water together have an artistic beauty, but also because mountains have a suppressive effect and can help water block ghostly energy to a certain extent. And this Heart Lake is flat and has no mountains around it, so it is easy to gather ghostly energy. Also, you see, there are locust trees all around the lake." Fang Lei said a lot in one breath.

"What's wrong with the locust tree?" I asked curiously.

Ms. Fang glanced at me disdainfully out of the corner of her eye, clearly looking down on my ignorance. "How do you write the character for 'locust'? It's a 'tree' plus the character for 'ghost.' Of all the trees, it's the most unlucky, and ghosts like to perch on locust trees. It's easier for ghostly energy to concentrate on them. And look around, besides the shrubs, the only trees here are locust trees. If they grew naturally, that's too much of a coincidence!"

Fang Lei's words made me look around, and sure enough, just as she said, there were only locust trees, no other species. I couldn't help but shudder, hoping that no ghosts might be dwelling in these locust trees.

"Are you scared?" Fang Lei asked coldly, without a trace of concern. I'm such a failure. How could a handsome, dashing, and promising young man like me be ridiculed by a lady?

"I'm just an ordinary person, it's normal to be scared. Unlike you, a female knight-errant of the Emei Sect!" I winked at her defiantly, successfully eliciting a slightly angry look from Fang Lei. I felt so good! Oh God, it's not that I'm a good man who wants to fight with a woman, I'm actually quite a gentleman.

Fang Lei didn't speak, turned her head away, ignored me, and walked off alone. I could only shrug and follow behind. What could I do? I was still carrying a bag of human hearts. I just hoped this chivalrous woman could finish her ritual quickly so I could get rid of this bag of things. But as if she knew what I was thinking or was deliberately trying to make things difficult for me, she simply stood silently by the lake, completely ignoring me.

I stood beside her, looking at her with a sense of unease. A gentle breeze ruffled her long hair, making it flow freely. At that moment, she possessed a stunning beauty, seemingly blending into the scenery, a harmony that was almost eerily harmonious. Fang Lei gently tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate neck. Sometimes, a woman doesn't have to be completely naked to be sexy; a little unintentional exposure can be even more alluring, more likely to arouse a man's lust. Good heavens, what am I even thinking!

I shook my head vigorously, trying to clear my mind of those inappropriate thoughts, cleared my throat, and decided it was best to speak first: "When exactly are you planning to perform the ritual for the deceased?"

"Don't you think this place is beautiful? It makes you feel free and without burdens." Fang Lei suddenly blurted out something unexpected, which startled me.

"Yeah!" I had no choice but to go along with her, and then somehow I asked a strange question, "Don't you usually feel a lot of pressure when you're free?"

A faint sadness flashed in Fang Lei's eyes, and the sorrow on her face was enough to make any man want to protect her, cherish her, and hold her in his arms. Fortunately, the bag in my hand prevented me from giving her a hug, otherwise I would probably have ended up being slapped into the lake by her.

“You wouldn’t understand, as…” Fang Lei sighed, not continuing.

"As what?" My persistent and inquisitive nature kicked in once again.

"It's nothing," Fang Lei smiled at me. I finally understood what it meant to have a smile that could make all the beauties in the palace pale in comparison.

"Let's begin!" Fang Lei reverted to her serious and unsmiling demeanor.

"Alright!" I said regretfully, handing her the bag in my hand, hoping that this absurd thing would end soon, that there would be no more zombies or ghosts.

Fang Lei placed the bag on the ground and then took out a yellowed book from her purse. I examined it closely and realized it was the Great Compassion Vajra Mantra. Was she going to recite it aloud? If so, it seemed that performing a ritual for the deceased wouldn't be so difficult! However, Fang Lei's actions immediately refuted my guess. She then took out a lighter from her bag and lit the book. The fire quickly consumed the entire book, leaving only a pile of ashes. Fang Lei bent down, grabbed a handful of ash, and scattered it in a circle within a meter's radius of the bag, completely enveloping it. Then she took out a bottle of mineral water from her bag. Just when I thought she was going to drink some water to quench her thirst, I saw her holding the water bottle in her left hand and taking out a yellow talisman from the bag with her right. She muttered something, and the talisman burst into flames. Fang Lei gently flicked her right hand, and the ash from the talisman entered the water bottle. The originally colorless and transparent water immediately turned a pale golden yellow, very beautiful.

"Move aside a bit, or a ghostly whirlwind might form in a moment." Fang Lei put her bag on the ground.

"The Ghost Whirlwind?" I was completely baffled once again.

"Actually, ghosts are formed from strange particles. A person's memories, longings, and resentments from their lifetime can be preserved in the form of these particles. However, some are too weak to take shape. When I perform the ritual to help them pass on, I'm simply sending these particles to the underworld, which is where they should ultimately reside. At that moment, a spatial opening to the underworld will inevitably open. Because the space in the underworld is different from here, just like how tornadoes occur on Earth due to atmospheric pressure, a ghost whirlwind will also form due to the pressure difference between the two spaces. Be careful, if you get swept away, you'll be taken to the underworld!" Fang Lei explained calmly, but it almost made me faint. This woman hadn't mentioned anything like this before she came!

Fang Lei walked over to me and handed me the strange bottle of mineral water. "Here you go. This water contains Guanyin talismans. If necessary, you can sprinkle it on the Spirit Whirlwind and it will hold it off for a while."

"Just to hold them off for a while? So, Miss, this stuff might not even work?" I took the water and let out a strange cry. It seemed that whether I survived tonight to accompany Li Yang to that Black Forest Bar depended on this bottle of water.

"Don't worry, I'm just making thorough preparations. I've done exorcisms before, and the resulting whirlwinds of spirits only lasted for a short while and didn't amount to much," Fang Lei reassured me.

Although I really wanted to believe her, my eyes started twitching again, which was a bad omen! I subconsciously touched my eyes, hoping it was just my imagination this time.

Fang Lei ignored me and stood in front of the bag, clasped her hands together, and began chanting some strange incantations that I couldn't understand at all—probably some kind of scripture or spell! As Fang Lei's chanting became faster and faster, a wisp of gray smoke slowly rose from the bag, but instead of rising upwards like smoke, it floated on the ground, spreading outwards in a circle like sentient snakes. The circle of ash also began to rotate, and the continuous rotation caused the ash to gradually form a spiraling, upward-rising circular barrier, perfectly blocking the smoke from escaping the circle.

The serpentine plumes of gray smoke thrashed more and more violently within the circular barrier, crashing against it, but the barrier spun even faster, deflecting them time and again. The continuous rotation of the circle created a gust of wind, and a small whirlwind was forming, threatening to grow larger. The whirlwind was unusually cold against my skin, and I couldn't help but shiver. Was this the small whirlwind Fang Lei had mentioned, the one that wouldn't amount to much? My rapidly pounding eyes told me that it might be about to become a significant force this time.

Book One: The City's Three Ghosts, Chapter Seven: The Growing Ghostly Whirlwind

Book One: The City's Three Ghosts, Chapter Seven: The Growing Ghostly Whirlwind

"Miss, if what you call 'not yet a threat' is already this powerful, what if it becomes a threat and kills me?" I walked to Fang Lei's side against the increasingly strong wind, but Fang Lei's condition was not optimistic. Her face was pale and bloodless, and her hands were trembling incessantly.

"Water, quick!" Fang Lei shouted to me with great difficulty, there was even a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.

"Huh? What?" I was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized she wanted me to spill the water, so I quickly unscrewed the cap and poured the water into the bag. But I didn't expect the wind to be so strong that it blew all the water back. The gray smoke, stimulated by the Guanyin water, seemed to have taken a stimulant and became even more vigorous. One of the wisps even broke through the circular barrier and rushed straight towards Fang Lei.

"Watch out!" I threw the water bottle to the ground and lunged at Fang Lei, managing to catch her in my arms before the plume of smoke hit her. We both tumbled to the ground. Just when I thought we'd escaped, I looked up and saw the smoke, which had curved in the air, continuing its trajectory towards us. Good heavens, does it have eyes?

"Get out of the way!" Fang Lei suddenly pushed me aside. "Evil spirit, retreat!" She threw out a yellow talisman, which formed a ball of flame in front of us. The gray smoke was blocked by the flame, and this time it really turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared.

"Fang Lei, to the right!" I shouted, because the wisps of gray smoke in the circle had completely broken through the barrier and burst out. The thickest one was rushing towards Fang Lei, and it was as thick as a python.

"Retreat!" Fang Lei threw out another talisman, but this time there seemed to be a problem. Part of the gray smoke was blocked by the flames, but the other part actually passed through the flames and continued to attack.

"Damn it!" Fang Lei cursed in a very unladylike manner, then grabbed me, who was still lying on the ground, and ran away as fast as she could.

"Think of something quick, don't just run away!" I reminded Fang Lei as I ran. I didn't want to run around like a rat in the street.

"The ghostly energy of the Spirit Ghost Whirlwind is too strong; the Fire Spirit Talisman can't withstand it at all! Is there more than one dead here?" Fang Lei kept throwing talismans behind her as she ran, temporarily blocking the Spirit Ghost Whirlwind's attack.

"Nonsense, how could it become Ghost Lake if so many people didn't die?" I roared angrily. What was this woman thinking? It seems she clearly underestimated the enemy.

"Quickly, hide behind that tree." Fang Lei grabbed my hand. I could feel her hand trembling uncontrollably, and it was ice cold. She must be very nervous too. Oh well, having a beautiful woman accompany me to the underworld isn't a bad thing!

Although the tree was large, it wasn't wide enough for two people to hide side by side, so Fang Lei and I squeezed tightly together. Her body was almost pressed against mine, and a faint, sweet fragrance wafted from her into my nose, making me feel restless. Even in this life-or-death situation, it seems this is what they mean by "dying under a peony is still romantic." A whirlwind swept past us, the strong winds sending splinters of wood flying from the tree trunk. I knew this tree wouldn't hold out for long; the whirlwind might soon topple it.

"Watch out!" Fang Lei suddenly pulled me to the right. I looked up and saw a whirlwind veering towards us. It was coming so fast that I knew we couldn't avoid it. Fang Lei stood in front of me. I was stunned. Although I'm not a magic user, I could never use a woman as a shield! I don't know where I got the courage and strength, but I turned Fang Lei around and used my back to shield her from the damned whirlwind. I suddenly felt a sharp, burning pain in my back, like it was being corroded by sulfuric acid. I could even hear a sizzling sound, like it was being grilled! Tears welled up in my eyes from the pain. It looked like I'd have to break my promise to Li Yang tonight!

Although the pain in my back almost made me faint, my mind was unusually clear. I saw several more whirlwinds coming towards us. This time, it was really over. I couldn't possibly block the whirlwinds from all directions again. I had to fight this time. I gritted my teeth, grabbed Fang Lei, who was in a daze, and pushed her to the ground. Then I used my whole body to cover her as much as possible, completely enveloping her under my body.

"You!" Fang Lei probably guessed my intention and started pushing my chest with her hands, trying to push me away.

This woman is truly ungrateful. I gritted my teeth and growled at her, "Don't move!" Fang Lei was perhaps frightened by me and didn't say anything more. But suddenly, her eyes misted over, giving her an even more hazy beauty. Just as I was marveling at her beauty like a lustful man, I suddenly felt a sharp pain all over my body. A whirlwind scraped against my body like a knife. I could even see my blood splattering everywhere. This scene must be quite beautiful, I thought with a bitter smile, while struggling to resist Fang Lei's force as she tried to push me away. Good heavens, does this woman want two people to die?

Does pain eventually subside? My consciousness began to blur. The burning, scalding pain gradually numbed, and the splattered blood seemed like petals drifting in the air. I thought I was nearing the underworld, but if it was so beautiful, why fear? I looked down. Yin Xue, yes, it was Yin Xue, smiling at me. I felt like I was back that night, Yin Xue beneath me, smiling shyly, her snow-white skin flushed pink with desire, her eyes blazing with passion that ignited my lust, an uncontrollable rage. I gently kissed her red lips. If I were to die, I only wanted to die in her arms. I felt a warmth in my chest, then it grew hotter and hotter, until it was burning hot, then my whole body felt like it was about to explode, and finally, an overwhelming, agonizing pain. Everything went black. This time, I was really going to the underworld!

※※※

My head was throbbing, like it was about to explode. There was something I should remember, but I'd forgotten it all. The little girl from the dream I just had—I couldn't recall what she looked like. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Fang Lei's concerned face.

"You're awake? That's great!" Fang Lei rushed over and gave me a tight hug, so tight I could barely breathe. Fang Lei's face was pressed against mine, and I felt warm liquid flowing down. Was she crying? Was it for me? I suddenly felt overwhelmed with gratitude.

"I'm not dead!?" I remembered the terrifying ordeal just now. Looking around, the scene was utter chaos. Tree branches were scattered haphazardly, along with pieces of wood chips. The tree trunks and bushes looked like they'd been slashed by some wild animal, covered in marks. Looking at Fang Lei, thankfully, her hair was just a little messy. But I was in a much worse state. My clothes were barely clothes; they were practically strips of cloth. My arms and legs were covered in blood, but there weren't a single wound. Strange, I clearly remembered being scratched so many times by that damned whirlwind! Right, where was that ghostly whirlwind?

"What happened? Did that whirlwind escape?" I asked Fang Lei curiously. She wiped away her tears, looking pitiful.

"You, you don't remember what just happened?" Fang Lei looked at me like I was a monster.

"I only remember pinning you down, then the ghostly whirlwind hurt me terribly, and then I passed out!" I replied.

"Really?" A hint of disappointment flashed in Fang Lei's eyes. "Later, you, you!"

"What did I do?" Of course I remember kissing Yin Xue, but I can't tell you that. But it's so strange, how could I see Yin Xue? Could it be because I was too close to the underworld and hallucinated?

"It's nothing," Fang Lei said, her expression turning serious again. "Have you ever studied magic?"

"Ha, magic? Does magic count?" I joked. Who knows what kind of magic you are? This is the first time I've seen you use it today. I've only ever seen it on TV!"

"Really?" Fang Lei frowned. "Just now, you emitted a red light, and then the ghost whirlwind disappeared completely, and your wounds also miraculously healed."

"Really?" I never imagined I had such amazing abilities; I'm practically Superman! I touched my chest and suddenly remembered that before I fainted, I felt a warming sensation there, and right there was a jade pendant—the token of love Yin Xue had given me. So I immediately took it off; thankfully, it wasn't broken.

"Seven-Star Heavenly Dragon Pendant? How did you get this?" Fang Lei stared intently at the jade pendant in my hand.

"This was given to me by someone very important to me. I don't know anything about the Seven Star Heavenly Dragon Pendant, I only know that it is a very important thing." I clutched the jade pendant tightly. Yin Xue's mother gave it to me when I went to Yin Xue's funeral. She said that Yin Xue worked a summer job and saved up money to buy it at an antique shop. She originally wanted to give it to me personally on my birthday, but unfortunately, she didn't live to see that day.

"This is one of the seven legendary treasures of the magic world! I never expected to have it on you. No wonder even the Spirit Ghost Whirlwind was afraid of it!" After Fang Lei finished speaking, she stood up, turned her head to the side, and said to me in a very low voice, "Thank you for earlier."

"Huh?" I was a little taken aback. "Oh, just now? It's only right, boys should protect girls!" I scratched my head sheepishly. Anyway, there was no loss, and I even found out the name of the jade pendant Yin Xue gave me, which was pretty good!

"Then, let's go!" Fang Lei's eyes were not only serious when she looked at me, but also seemed to hold something else.

"That bag of stuff," I swallowed hard, "was it dealt with? Hopefully, it won't turn into a zombie!"

"Don't worry, it won't happen again!" Fang Lei reassured me.

"That's good, let's go!" I excitedly jumped up, but suddenly felt a chill all over my body. Damn it, this way of being wrapped in strips of cloth looks really indecent!

Fang Lei blushed when she saw my disheveled appearance and immediately turned her head to the side. Even though it was just a moment of her shy and demure demeanor, it still left me stunned for a long time. This woman's charm is truly formidable!

"Hey, are you coming or not?" Fang Lei's voice had a hint of coquetry.

I immediately realized my lapse in composure and could only manage a wry smile. "Could we go to my place before we head back to the police station? I don't want to be running around naked, you know. I need to change my clothes!"

"Okay!" Fang Lei walked forward without looking back, completely forgetting about how I had just saved her!

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Eight: The Reappearance of the Mysterious Woman

Book One: The Three Ghosts of the City, Chapter Eight: The Reappearance of the Mysterious Woman

It was already afternoon when I got back to the police station. Before I even entered my office, I could already hear Li Yang shouting, "Where did Xiao Xiao go?"

"Here it is!" I hurried into the office, and Li Yang looked over. His eyes immediately went blank and he was practically drooling. He completely ruined the image of our people's police. Of course, the object of his infatuation was not me, but Fang Lei behind me.

"Wow, hello, hello!" Li Yang rushed towards me, then heartlessly pushed me aside and reached out his wolfish claws towards Fang Lei.

"Hello, you must be Li Yang, the one Lin Xiao mentioned. I'm Fang Lei. Fang as in 'square and round,' and Lei as in 'flower bud.'" Fang Lei smiled professionally and shook hands with Li Yang to show friendliness. But right now, all I wanted to do was chop off Li Yang's hands and use them as snacks! What a disgrace to us men! He doesn't even care about his friends when he sees a beautiful woman, especially since I was just out of danger!

"Hmm!" I deliberately cleared my throat, hoping that Li Yang's drool wouldn't flow too much.

"I heard you were in charge of those recent cases. I'm very interested in that. Could you tell me more about them?" Fang Lei said to Li Yang with a smile. Clearly, this beautiful woman was using her charm to seduce him. Sigh, I sighed. It seems impossible to keep Li Yang from becoming a traitor. Our beloved Party organization really misjudged people!

"Oh, so you're interested in this. You don't know, these cases... the victims... we police have been talking about it... I think... 'speaking passionately and enthusiastically,' but in my eyes he was just a male sparrow in heat, and a very annoying one at that."

I shook my head, turned and walked out of the office, deciding it would be best to go to the lab to avoid it for a while. This scoundrel Li Yang wouldn't be done until he spent an hour or two praising his greatness.

Sure enough, it wasn't until two hours later that Li Yang and Fang Lei appeared in my sight. Fang Lei still had a professional smile on her face, and I couldn't help but admire her patience. If it were me, I would definitely stick a plaster on Li Yang's mouth!

"Xiao Xiao, Fang Lei said she's going to the Black Forest Bar with us tonight!" Li Yang excitedly told me the good news, but in my opinion, it should be more like bad news. I think my face must be very sour right now. That damned Li Yang, he forgets his friends for the sake of women and has no principles at all.

"What's wrong? You don't look well!" Fang Lei said with a serious expression, but I could see a devilish smile gleaming in her eyes.

"Xiao Xiao, are you feeling unwell? Maybe you shouldn't go tonight!" Li Yang added with concern. Don't think he was being kind; he simply wanted a chance to be alone with the beauty. Please forgive me, I couldn't help but mentally throw a dart at Li Yang's face, throw another dart, and another dart.

※※※

The city's night view is actually quite beautiful. Perhaps it's because of my profession, where I've encountered so much death and evil, that I'm easily satisfied with beautiful things! But who knows how much death and evil might be lurking in some unknown corner on a night like this! I gazed at the scenery outside the car window, completely ignoring the malicious glare from the person next to me. Heh, that kid Li Yang must be angry at my lack of tact right now. Who told him to prioritize women over friends first!

"Are you confident about going to the Black Forest Bar tonight?" Fang Lei asked me from the back of the car.

I shrugged and pointed at Li Yang, "Ask him!"

"Of course, don't worry." Li Yang immediately patted his chest, looking like he had just succeeded. I didn't tell him about what happened at Heart Lake this afternoon because I doubted he would believe me, since even I myself didn't believe it, despite having experienced it firsthand.

"Where are we?" Li Yang stopped the car and pointed to a bar across the street, its neon lights flashing in the night.