Hiromi Collection - Chapter 25
"I heard that the Ertiao Bridge is haunted! It is said that every night at midnight, an oxcart will quietly stop under the willow tree at the bridgehead, and the sound of an incredibly beautiful pipa will come from inside the oxcart."
"Shall we go take a look?"
"this……"
"Let's go take a look."
"Hey, let's call everyone."
The court nobles who were discussing Seimei and Hiromasa then had something new to do.
According to the *Konjaku Monogatari*, on the morning after the full moon of Minazuki, Abe no Seimei and Minamoto no Hiromasa were found at the Suzaku Gate. At that time, both were standing and smiling, seemingly unaware of their surroundings, as if unconscious. Two days later, Seimei awoke, and Hiromasa followed suit. After that, the Fujiwara samurai who had remained unconscious also finally awoke.
"What a wonderful dream!" It is said that when those people woke up, they all said this in unison.
end
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Boya said, finishing his drink.
The time was the 20th of the Minazuki month, and the location was the outer corridor of Abe no Seimei's residence on Tsuchimikado Street. As usual, Abe no Seimei and Minamoto no Hiromasa were drinking together.
“Indeed.” Seimei, dressed in a white hunting robe, leaned lazily against a pillar, bent his right knee, placed his right hand on his knee, and held a wine cup in his hand. His red lips, as if lightly rouged, were slightly upturned as he looked at the lush green courtyard with a half-smile.
Between the two men was a wine jug and two plates of grilled sweetfish sprinkled with salt, while Honey Worm served them, refilling their empty glasses from time to time.
"That place is so beautiful. The buildings are things I've never heard of or seen before, and the creatures... dragons, Western dragons, and wizards and stuff."
"Western Onmyoji, you could say that?"
Seimei turned around and said, "Hiromasa, let me tell you about the incantation."
Upon hearing this, Boya, who had been engaged in lively conversation, immediately became serious.
"Please, Seimei, stop talking about curses."
Don't you want to hear it?
"I don't want to. I get a headache whenever you mention curses or anything like that! Why do you always have to say those things when I'm in a good mood?"
"Alright, I won't say." Seimei put down his wine cup.
"Speaking of which, what exactly is that B...BL thing?"
"This..." Seimei and Hiromasa both fell into deep thought...
****
The Book of Tales of the Past and Present records:
Long ago, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), a woman appeared at the foot of the Vermilion Bird Gate, moving back and forth, sometimes chattering incessantly, sometimes pounding the ground in pain, for more than ten days. Those who heard her said her voice was beautiful but indistinct. A warrior asked her about it, but she rebuked him and then vanished, remaining unconscious for several days. Qingming and Boyue went to see her, and together they filed out, never to return. That night, the guards rushed to look, but only the vast darkness remained.
The next morning, the two appeared, standing with joyful expressions. They were called, but received no answer. It was unclear whether their spirits had departed or they had fallen asleep. Thus, they were lost in a daze.
=v=
Author's note:
Every author possesses one or more mirages, within which lies a vast and beautiful world in their heart—whether warm, grand, mysterious, or wondrous. Only by presenting everything within those mirages to the reader can that world truly exist.
Xuanxi, the woman who walks back and forth beneath the Vermilion Bird Gate late at night, is someone who possesses many mirages and is not stingy with displaying them. When writing or thinking, she may experience painful emotions, hence the phrase "pounding the ground in agony," but the joy she feels when her work is displayed and recognized is something that others cannot comprehend.
On the occasion of Xuanxi's birthday, I dedicate this article to you, wishing you continued perseverance and that you will write more wonderful works for us.
Happy birthday, Xuanxi!
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Left Hand
Name: Mu Ling Gender: Female Age: Appearance: Around 30
Occupation: Owner of a body shaping workshop Address: No. 21-23, West Exit Street, Bomeiji
"Have you heard about what happened at Villa No. 3, Modang Road?"
"I heard, I heard. It's Professor Wei Ziru's family, isn't it? How terrifying! How could such a case happen in our city? The world is going to the dogs!"
"Yeah, I wonder what method that prisoner used. I heard that a perfectly healthy person was reduced to nothing but a skeleton."
"Wow, stop talking! Even we police officers would have nightmares if we heard about something like this!"
"Hey, who's the unlucky guy in charge of this case?"
"Isn't that Yama Luo from the First Brigade?"
"Oh, it's him. That's incredible. I heard he has quite a few bizarre cases on his hands, like that porcelain maker who killed his own daughter, and that actress..."
Shh, he's coming in!
Luo Jian pushed open the door to the office lobby. The noise inside seemed to be extinguished as soon as he entered, his voice crackling and drowning out the commotion. Without a trace of expression, he scanned the entire room, then walked through the lobby towards his office.
"Phew, that's terrifying!"
"Yeah, that expression, it's like a murderer."
"I heard from a senior colleague that he wasn't like this before. I don't know why his temper has become more and more eccentric while he was investigating some criminal..."
"Stop talking, it would be bad if Yama, the King of Hell, heard you."
"Sigh, these days, it's really hard for ordinary people to live a peaceful life."
The unpleasant comments gradually subsided, and the early summer breeze blew in from the corridor. Before it could catch up with the man called Yama, it was coldly blocked outside by the iron gate of the homicide department.
****
Luo Jian closed the door and sat back down at his desk.
As usual, the small desk was piled high with documents and files. A leftover lunchbox was discarded in one corner, filled with a thick layer of cigarette ash and more than forty cigarette butts. Clearly, its owner hadn't had time to tidy up his space in a long time.
Picking up the case file marked XXS060320, the case of Villa No. 3 in Modang, Luo Jian habitually lit a cigarette and began examining the file for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
The murder case that occurred at villa No. 3, Modang Road on the 20th of this month has been widely dubbed the "Professor with Severed Hand and Bones Case" by the media. The victim, Wei Ziru, male, 47 years old, was a senior professor in the Sculpture Department of the Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts. He was murdered at home on the evening of the 20th, and his death was described as "severed hand and bones."
No signs of external intrusion were found, nor was a murder weapon discovered. In Professor Wei's home, equipped with state-of-the-art security measures, the homeowner was murdered by unknown means. Astoundingly, the perpetrator somehow disposed of Professor Wei's body. When the first discoverer, Professor Wei's son Wei Jianyu, returned home on the morning of the 21st, all he found was a skeleton on the living room floor, missing its left hand.
The skeletal remains were quickly confirmed to be those of Wei Ziru. Conversely, the police search was forced to a standstill due to the near-zero leads. Given the heinous and even horrific nature of the crime, the media went into a frenzy, chasing after the story. Meanwhile, the proliferation of various rumors among the city's residents undoubtedly made the police's situation even more difficult. Whether it was the rumor of a sorcery group or the claim that Professor Wei was actually a foreign spy, countless statements, however low their credibility, were widely circulated. The police chief, feeling extremely uneasy, was forced to face the most difficult situation he had encountered since taking office.
On one hand, there was pressure from superiors and criticism from citizens; on the other hand, countless days and nights of relentless work yielded no reassuring progress. For the past two weeks, including the bureau chief himself, all the frontline criminal investigators had been suffering, unable to eat or sleep properly. Under these circumstances, some well-meaning person recommended Luo Jian from the First Homicide Division of the Chaohe District Public Security Bureau to take on the case, citing his past experience with numerous bizarre cases and his ability to handle similar situations.
Luo Jian closed his eyes, reviewing the records he knew so well he could recite them backwards. The body was discovered at 6:30 a.m. on the 21st. The discoverer was Wei Jianyu, 24 years old, the only son of the victim, Wei Ziru, and currently a teaching assistant at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. On the morning of the 21st, Wei Jianyu returned home from an art seminar and found a skeleton in the center of the living room when he opened the door. The skeleton was still wearing Wei Ziru's usual pajamas. Because the scene was so bizarre, Wei Jianyu stood there stunned for a full ten minutes before he thought to call the police. The first scene investigation was handled by three officers from the Modang District Police Station: Huang Minjue, Ge Yi, and Chen Lixia. Realizing the seriousness of the case, the three quickly contacted the homicide department at headquarters. A team of about seven people, consisting of a forensic doctor, homicide officers, and staff from the press and public relations department, rushed to the scene after being notified. From the arrival of the first discoverer to the arrival of all police officers, it took a total of half an hour. Huang Minjue and others rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the call, which took five minutes.
Preliminary identification confirmed that the skeletal remains were indeed those of Wei Ziru. Furthermore, on-site investigation confirmed no signs of external intrusion at the villa at No. 3 Modang Road. Interviews with neighbors and villa security personnel indicated that no suspicious individuals visited Professor Wei's home that evening. Chemical analysis confirmed that, apart from a small area where the remains were found to have blood, no other areas within the house showed signs of blood, essentially confirming that the remains were the primary crime scene. Aside from the inexplicable absence of his left hand, no other injuries were found on the skeleton. What puzzled the forensic pathologist was that, based on the cross-section, Wei Ziru's left hand did not appear to have been deliberately severed. In fact, considering Wei Ziru's intact left arm bone, it seemed more likely that his left hand had detached spontaneously rather than been intentionally severed.
Such an outcome is undoubtedly baffling. Leaving aside how a perfectly healthy person could inexplicably turn into skeletons, the mere fact that a grown man died with less than 0.5 quarts of blood found at the scene is enough to spark speculation. Although the authorities repeatedly emphasized keeping the news under wraps, a well-connected tabloid reporter still managed to leak the story, and rumors of "vampires" spread like wildfire, infuriating the mayor to the point that he nearly dismissed the police chief on the spot.
Others may not be able to make the right judgment on this matter, but for Luo Jian, who has been through the cases of Han Qingyin and Chu Zhengyu, no matter how he thinks about it, such a bizarre case will only lead his thoughts to one place - Bomeiji!
The mere mention of those three words clearly agitated Luo Jian once again. Flipping through the files haphazardly, he forcefully stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette in his lunchbox.
Two years have passed since Han Qingyin's case. In those two years, Luo Jian tried various methods to find traces of Bomei Market, but to no avail. Bomei Market might be a real market, a secret organization, or even just someone's code name. Luo Jian speculated on all possibilities, but no matter which possibility he started from, he invariably hit a wall soon after. Meanwhile, in the city where Luo Jian lived, various scenes of life and death continued to unfold. Although behind those separations and deaths, occasionally a glimmer of excitement would appear, those things that piqued Luo Jian's interest would quickly disappear as the truth came to light. It could be said that in those two years, the name "Bomei Market" seemed to have completely vanished with Han Qingyin's death.
A peaceful city, a utopia that people so yearn for, yet in Luo Jian's heart lurks a dark expectation that contradicts it. If another bizarre case occurs, perhaps the path to "Bomei Collection" will be found!
With this in mind, Luo Jian worked like a madman for the past two years in pursuit of Bomeiji, solving many bizarre and brutal cases, earning him the nickname "King of Hell Luo." Those who knew Luo Jian before probably couldn't imagine it; cold, mechanical, and highly efficient—that's the impression Luo Jian gives everyone now. Since Xiao Jin was injured and stepped down, fewer and fewer people are willing to get close to Luo Jian. But Luo Jian doesn't seem to feel any negative impact about this.
Then, after two years of painstaking waiting, heaven finally gave Luo Jian a glimmer of hope. The occurrence of the "Professor with Severed Hands and White Bones Case" gave Luo Jian renewed hope. The bizarre case convinced Luo Jian that Bomei Group was active again, and the lack of clues, while confirming his opponent's identity, also plunged him into a deep sense of powerlessness.
It cannot be investigated, speculated, or confirmed.
Unable to find the murder weapon and the method of the crime, the previous chief investigator chose to investigate the suspect based on the motive. However, the results were disheartening for all investigators. Wei Ziru almost never made enemies, and the few people with whom he had disputes or disagreements all had alibis. Although the police had suspected Wei Jianyu of "embezzlement," they could not make a reasonable deduction regarding such a bizarre manner of death. Furthermore, at least ten people confirmed that Wei Jianyu was indeed out of town that day and had taken the night train.
Give up! Giving up is the only option!
Everyone thought the same thing, but the public's criticism forced all the police officers to continue investigating those leads that had been investigated countless times, until Luo Jian took over.
On the day Luo Jian took office, he issued three orders.
First, re-investigate all of Wei Ziru's personal belongings in his home to find anything related to the three characters "Bomeiji";
Second, conduct another investigation of everyone who knew Wei Ziru, with only one question: "Did they hear Wei Ziru mention Bomeiji? What did they say to Wei Ziru?"
Third, investigate whether Wei Ziru has encountered any trouble recently.
Although everyone was puzzled by Luo Jian's orders, the search continued as he planned, thanks to his insistence. Soon, encouraging results came back.
Wei Ziru once unintentionally mentioned the name "Bomeiji" to Wei Jianyu. At the time, Wei Ziru said, "Without Bomeiji, I wouldn't be who I am today, but I really don't know which version of me, the current me or the former me, would be better to live by."
The investigation into Wei Ziru's predicament revealed that just a year prior, she had been involved in a serious car accident. In that accident, her left hand was crippled, and doctors determined that her hand would never function normally again. However, eight months later, amidst praise from outsiders, Wei Ziru returned to the sculpting world "with astonishing perseverance" and "unparalleled courage," showcasing her miraculous sculpting skills to everyone.
At this point, the matter has been preliminarily deduced in a certain direction, although no one, including Luo Jian, can still draw any useful conclusions about the case at this moment.
There must be a connection between the crippled left hand and the bone that lost its left hand. It seems that there is only a thin layer of paper separating them, but no one can figure it out clearly.
In Luo Jian's deduction, both Chu Zhengyu and Han Qingyin encountered "Bomei Group" when they were at their lowest point and most in need of help. Regardless of the truth or falsehood of Han Qingyin's bizarre accounts, it at least proves that "Bomei Group" chose some means to "help" those in distress, but none of those they helped received a good outcome. This is why Luo Jian immediately thought of investigating whether Wei Ziru had encountered any difficulties when faced with the Wei Ziru case. As it turns out, Luo Jian's deduction seems to be correct so far, but all speculation ends here. "Bomei Group" appears to have helped Wei Ziru recover her left hand, but knowing this is of no help to the current case. This is what infuriates Luo Jian the most. He has identified the murderer, but he cannot find a connection between the case and the murderer; he doesn't even know how the case actually occurred.
The more Luo Jian thought about it, the worse his mood became. He picked up his helmet and slammed the door shut. He needed to vent, and a motorcycle was obviously a good thing for humans to vent!
After a period of high-speed racing, Luo Jian parked the motorcycle beside him, leaned against the frame, and lit a cigarette.
It was already dusk, and the orange-red sunset hung lazily on the horizon as darkness descended, carelessly eroding the golden-red light bit by bit.
The indifferent hustle and bustle of the city faded into the distance. Luo Jian deliberately banished his thoughts; he needed some space. This had nothing to do with his health; he simply didn't want his mind to become too fatigued and lose its effectiveness. However, a rustling sound reached his ears.
At first, Luo Jian thought it was just some insects, but soon he heard the rustling sound again, this time even louder.
Luo Jian stubbed out his cigarette and cautiously looked around.
He parked his car at a timber yard belonging to a small lumber mill in the suburbs, where Luo Jian had previously investigated a theft case. Logically, there should have been no one left in the yard at this time.
"I told you not to run away." Suddenly, a woman's voice rang in Luo Jian's ears, followed by the rustling sound.
Luo Jian's tense back relaxed. It was probably a nearby resident looking for their pet cat or dog. However, the woman continued talking.
"I've told you so many times, don't be so ostentatious."
As she spoke, the rustling sound in Luo Jian's ear changed to a grunting sound like a pig's grunt. Luo Jian became suspicious and stealthily approached the source of the sound. Soon, he saw the woman's shadow behind a pile of wood.
She was a woman around thirty years old, dressed very plainly, and her face was indistinct, but judging from her features, she wasn't particularly attractive. Luo Jian shifted his gaze, wanting to see who the woman was talking to, but…
No?!
Luo Jian opened his eyes wide.
There was absolutely nothing opposite the woman!
It doesn't look like she's on the phone; who is this woman talking to?
"What if someone finds out?" the woman continued, seemingly talking to herself. "That person is already suspicious. It was so hard to make him forget, and I don't want what happened before to happen again! Old Man Mu is gone, and Bomei Village can't afford a second time..."
Luo Jian was startled!