Three Ghosts of the City

Chapter 2

A long-haired woman in red was lingering by the lake. Seven people—five men and two women—had died there. One of the men, before dying, wrote the words "ghost" in his own blood on the ground.

"Don't believe everything you hear!" I tried to explain from a scientific perspective, "and people often like to mistake their hallucinations for reality."

"I didn't say that was true. I just wanted to tell you about the strange things about this lake! And there should have been eight people who died, but the eighth person survived. Unfortunately, he went mad and never spoke a word again, only humming some inexplicable tunes." Li Yang's voice became serious, and I knew that these things were obviously giving him a headache.

"Have you looked into those seven people?" I asked.

"Yes! But unfortunately, we have no leads. It's too chaotic; we have absolutely no idea where to begin. Besides, the deaths of these seven people span a large period of time. Some related people and information are no longer available." Li Yang sighed, partly because of this, and partly because he simply didn't have the time. This recent case had already overwhelmed everyone in the team; they had no time for anything else.

Should I dredge up those old grievances? But my intuition tells me that the current case is definitely inextricably linked to that ghost woman from the Heart Lake.

I took a sip of water and suddenly hesitated whether I should tell Li Yang what happened last night. But who would believe me? They'd probably just think I was seeing things. I felt a hollow, uneasy feeling, but this also strengthened my resolve to go to the Black Forest Bar tonight.

"I went to the mental hospital to see that lunatic yesterday!" Li Yang stood up and stretched his limbs. "Unfortunately, it took me almost three hours! I didn't get anything out of him!"

"Looks like even our interrogation expert has his limits!" I laughed. It seems someone can finally put him on his toes, but unfortunately, he's a madman.

"He didn't say a word, just kept humming some tune I couldn't even understand. I was really exasperated by him." Li Yang patted his chest, looking like he was still feeling suffocated just thinking about it.

"Anyway, the tune he's humming definitely isn't something he made up himself! Maybe it's because you're tone-deaf that you can't tell what he's humming!" I teased him.

"Alright, alright," Li Yang waved his fist at me to express his dissatisfaction, "You know I'm tone-deaf, yet you still dare to pry into my past?"

"Alright, enough of that. Let's get back to the point. Since they all died at Heart Lake, which is in the suburbs and quite a distance from the city center, they couldn't have walked there, could they? And according to my forensic examination, they should all have died around midnight. In such a remote place at that time, there shouldn't even be any buses running! Didn't you check the taxis?" I continued to ask Li Yangguan.

Regarding the case.

"Do you think we police officers are just sitting around doing nothing? We've thought of this before! But here's the strange thing: so far, not a single taxi company has reported taking anyone to Xinhu during the days surrounding the incident. Xinhu is a very dangerous place; almost no drivers want to go there, and even if they do, it's mostly during the day. So, if anyone dares to go to Xinhu at night, they'll definitely be refused."

"Li Yang's explanation was clear and forceful."

"Money makes the world go round; who knows, some daring person might go there for the money?" I objected. "Then this driver must remember the person who went there so well. Our police have issued numerous notices; if there are such passengers, they must be reported! But so many days have passed, and there's still no news. Are you going to tell me the driver has unfortunately developed amnesia? And there might be more than one. And consider..."

They said they drove there themselves, but the truth is they didn't have cars, not even driver's licenses. Some teammates even said they might have stolen a car, but think about it, a perfectly healthy young woman, stealing a car and going to a godforsaken place like Heart Lake, who would believe that?! Li Yang was so angry his mouth twisted. That's true, what they thought would be an important breakthrough point turned out to be a complete waste of time.

"Okay!" I shrugged and began to summarize, "Now let me summarize the strange things about this case. First, although the deceased have no direct connection, they are connected to the Black Forest Bar and some indirect connections we haven't yet discovered. Second, the time, place, and method of death of the deceased are too similar, which initially leads to the conclusion that they were committed by the same person. Third, they are all related to Heart Lake, and Heart Lake itself..."

The mystery surrounding their identities is too vast, involving seven murders and a madwoman. Fourthly, how did they all get there? Walking is definitely impossible, so their means of transportation are strange.

"So, I definitely need to go to the Black Forest Bar to investigate again. How about it, interested in coming together?" Li Yang put his arm around my shoulder and asked.

I glanced at Li Yang; his face was beaming with excitement. This kid seemed to get even more excited when faced with a difficult case. My heart suddenly skipped a beat, and my eyelids twitched a few times—this wasn't a good sign. But fate is always so strange, holding a grip on things we can't escape. And so, I inexplicably blurted out, "Sure! Who's afraid of who!" But then everything that happened...

All those feelings make me want to slap my present self a few times.

"Great! You're a true buddy!" Li Yang was overjoyed, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter!

Chapter Four: The New Beautiful Colleague

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After seeing Li Yang off, he said he needed to prepare for his trip to the Black Forest Bar that evening. I knew he was actually thinking about what to wear to a bar. I didn't care; my looks would definitely attract some pretty girls. Unfortunately, my heart had already died the night Yin Xue left. I once thought time could heal this wound, but...

But I was wrong. In fact, it never left me. Instead, it became something called memory, deeply stimulating me in my recollections and constantly reminding me.

Why conduct a forensic examination? Simply because Yin Xue's death was so inexplicable. People say she chose death because she was heartbroken after arguing with me. But I know that's impossible. She loved me too much; she would die for me, but she would never use death to tell me of her sadness. She once told me, "Xiao, if you don't love me anymore, please tell me sooner rather than later. But don't think I'll do anything foolish, because..."

I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, even if you no longer love me. You know, as long as I can love you, it doesn't matter if I'm alone for the rest of my life, it doesn't matter. "So, she didn't commit suicide, nor could she have. So, I gave up a promising future as a surgeon and became a forensic pathologist."

I raised my glass, and the sunlight refracted through it, dazzling me. This was a gesture Yin Xue liked; she loved looking at the sun through a glass of water like this. She said it felt wonderful, like the feeling of being loved. I put the glass down and sighed. The sunlight and the glass were still there, but she was gone.

"Xiao Lin, come to my office for a second!" Old Cao, my colleague and also my boss, poked his head in from outside the door. "Let me introduce you to a new colleague, she's a beauty!"

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrows. There was actually a beautiful woman who was a forensic doctor. It seemed that either Old Cao's taste was flawed, or this woman's professional orientation was truly awe-inspiring.

Following Lao Cao into the office, I saw a tall, slender figure standing by the window. Because of her long, flowing hair, I couldn't see her face clearly. I could only vaguely make out the graceful curve of her profile and her slender neck, hidden within her cascading black hair, fair and flawless. I'd once heard that you could tell a woman's age from her neck.

Because the neck doesn't receive the same level of care as the face, it reveals the marks of time more clearly. And such a neck, so fair and delicate, evokes an irresistible urge to touch it. A woman like this can't be too bad, can she? It seems Old Cao, though old, still has a good eye for beauty.

"Xiao Fang, let me introduce you to a colleague!" Old Cao said to the woman. The woman turned around, and indeed she was a beauty! Willow-leaf eyebrows, red lips, bright, sparkling eyes, and a delicate nose, but her expression was rather serious, lacking a touch of tenderness. If my older sister's beauty was modern, then this woman could be described as a beauty with a strong classical charm.

"This is Lin Xiao, the youngest forensic doctor here, he's got a bright future!" Old Cao couldn't wait to praise me. It seems he's determined to make his bold promise to introduce me to a girlfriend come true. Although I've repeatedly refused his offers, he seems quite enthusiastic about it.

"Hello, my name is Fang Lei, Fang as in square and round, Lei as in flower bud." Fang Lei's tone was indifferent, but a strange look flashed in her eyes. I suddenly had the feeling that I was actually a corpse under her command to be dissected, unable to hide.

"Hehe, Lin Xiao, Lin as in 'double wood forest,' and Xiao as in 'carefree.'" I rubbed my hands together, and...

"Forensic Doctor Lin, I heard you've been in charge of several recent female death cases. I'd really like to see those bodies. Could you take me to see them and discuss the cases?" Fang Lei's tone was more of an order than a question.

"Oh? You're going to work so soon? Why don't you take a break first?" I tried to ease the overly serious atmosphere and kindly reminded you.

"No need, let's start now!" Fang Lei left no room for negotiation, eager to see the corpses. I finally understood why she became a forensic doctor; she's a complete workaholic.

"Okay!" I shrugged. Looks like I'm going to be busy again today. I looked at Old Cao next to me, who winked at me hard and smiled ambiguously. Good heavens, does he think Fang Lei has feelings for me? Now I'm in deep trouble.

"Please!" I reluctantly led Fang Lei out of the office. Fang Lei didn't say a word the whole way, walking behind me, but I felt like I was being watched intently by her eyes.

As soon as I entered the lab, I turned around to speak to Fang Lei, only to see her quickly close the lab door and lock it from the inside. No, no way! Was she planning to rape and then kill me? Oh, sorry, I misunderstood. I watched her walk towards me, feeling awkward. Was she going to... you know... you know? My charm isn't so great that a woman would fall in love at first sight and throw herself into my arms!

"Um, um, what do you want?" I puffed out my chest; I didn't want her to look down on me, after all, I'm still a man! Unfortunately, before I could finish speaking, the woman reached out to me with incredible speed. Instinctively, I raised my hand to block, but with a "smack," a yellow piece of paper was stuck to my wrist. Looking closer, it was actually a piece of paper covered in strange, garbled characters. Good...

It looks like the talismans used to ward off evil spirits in television dramas.

Huh? Exorcism, talisman? Am I a monster? Does she think this is a TV drama?! I was about to explode with anger and start yelling—don't think I won't offend her just because she's beautiful. But the cool breeze emanating from the talisman and wafting onto my wrist calmed me down, and my anger vanished instantly. The coolness gradually spread throughout my body, a refreshing and soothing feeling like a summer day.

The coolness is like that after a shower.

"Thankfully, you were only slightly affected by ghostly energy. This Guanyin talisman should be fine from now on." Fang Lei breathed a sigh of relief. "What about the corpses?"

"Guanyin Talisman? What is that? What on earth is going on?" I was a little confused. What was all this about?

"It's like this," Fang Lei said seriously, "I'm a disciple of the Emei Sect, and my master is Abbess Qingyi. I just noticed ghostly energy on you, so I used a talisman to purify it. This Guanyin talisman is specifically used to purify those affected by ghostly energy, so don't worry, there are no side effects!"

"Emei Sect? Nuns?" I think my brain must be in a state of shock right now. There have been quite a few strange things happening lately, quite a few.

"To put it simply, my master observed the stars at night and discovered that this city has a strong ghostly aura and a very ominous sign, so he sent me to investigate. I heard that several bizarre murders have occurred here, so I wanted to see the bodies!" Fang Lei explained.

"Oh, really?" I think my performance must be terrible right now, but any normal person would be no more at ease than me when faced with things like the Emei Sect, talismans, ghost energy, or astrology—things that you only see in books or on TV.

"I initially suspected those cases might be related to the strange celestial phenomena Master mentioned, but after seeing you, I'm pretty sure they're connected. The ghostly aura on you probably came from dissecting those corpses!" Fang Lei said, walking to the dissection table and yanking off the white sheet covering the body. A wisp of black energy immediately emanated from the corpse.

Come on, let's go straight for Fang Lei. That forced me to swallow back what I was about to say.

"A mere trick!" Fang Lei snorted dismissively, her jade-like hand waving as several yellow talismans flew out and easily adhered to the corpse. The black mist, as if a living creature had been shot, trembled and swirled violently, while the yellow talismans acted like suction cups, drawing the black mist in. The talismans slowly turned black, and the black mist vanished.

What surprised me even more was that the talisman slowly melted and dissolved into the interior of the corpse.

"Special abilities?" My mouth must have been agape wide enough to fit an egg.

"It's magic!" Fang Lei was clearly annoyed by my ignorance, her tone harsh. "From now on, I'm in charge of these corpses!"

"What? No way!" I flatly rejected her unreasonable demands. I couldn't abandon something I had taken on halfway.

"You're just an ordinary person, you can't solve this!" Fang Lei's eyes were full of confidence. "I'm both a forensic doctor and a magician, I'm much more capable than you."

"I don't care if these corpses have any ghostly aura like you mentioned. I only know that you can't back down when you're doing something. Besides, I'm more experienced than you and I'm familiar with this case. And," I looked at Fang Lei, who was very proud, but she had the right to be proud, "you don't need to take everything on yourself!" A faint look of loneliness suddenly appeared on Fang Lei's face, but she quickly became serious again.

"I don't want to say anything more. Anyway, I'm not giving up. If you insist, then you should talk to Lao Cao yourself and see if he agrees to transfer the case." I played my trump card. Although Lao Cao is usually joking around, he is not careless at all when it comes to work. In fact, he can be described as strict. He definitely won't let a novice take on this tricky case.

Fang Lei looked at me without speaking, clearly unsure about asking Lao Cao to take on the case. I saw hesitation in her eyes and immediately pressed my advantage: "If you insist on handling this case, I can agree to work with you. What do you say?"

"Okay!" Fang Lei replied quickly, "But you have to promise not to tell anyone that I know magic."

"Don't worry, I won't tell," I replied. Even if I did, how many people would believe me if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes?

Chapter Five: Alternative Forensic Examinations

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"Okay, Dr. Lin, have you conducted any forensic examinations on them?" Fang Lei took a white coat off the hanger and put it on, then took out a pair of autopsy gloves from her pocket and put them on as well.

"Just call me Lin Xiao." I looked at Fang Lei in her white coat and felt an inexplicable sense of harmony. "I've already checked. The cause of death is likely cardiopulmonary failure due to an excessive secretion of adrenaline. In other words, he was scared to death."

"Then, you don't mind if I take another look, do you?" Fang Lei smiled professionally and cunningly, which reminded me of an animal called a fox.

"Please make yourself at home!" I gestured generously, curious to see what this beautiful forensic doctor was really up to, acting so mysteriously.

When dissecting a corpse, I usually make an incision behind both ears, cutting down to the throat in a Y-shaped incision, and then cutting all the way through. The feeling of the scalpel cutting through the skin and muscle is strange, completely different from cutting pork or beef with a kitchen knife. Although, in reality, a dead person is no different from other animals, it's still strange to think that perhaps this person was laughing just moments before.

When tears well up, the feeling in one's heart is never truly light. However, my professional knowledge prevents me from being as afraid of corpses as others. Sometimes, a corpse is the best evidence, so you have to put in a lot of effort to find the secrets hidden within it. Please forgive me for using "it," yes, no matter how glorious it was in life, after death, it can only be called "it."

Not every forensic pathologist follows a single procedure. Old Cao, for example, likes to X-ray the body thoroughly before making any incisions. He says he needs to see everything clearly before drawing conclusions, and X-rays are a great tool for seeing things very, very clearly. I don't know how Fang Lei does it, but it should be quite interesting.

Because I saw her extend the scalpel towards the corpse's forehead. Did she want to cut open the corpse's head as well?

Fang Lei's fingers were very white and slender. I suddenly thought of the phrase "jade scallion" to describe fingers. Such hands should be more suited to needlework, but unfortunately, they were holding a cold scalpel. What a waste! I couldn't help but sigh. It seems I've been sighing quite a lot lately.

The scalpel deftly pierced the corpse's brow, and with a gentle stroke, a thick, black liquid flowed out. "Huh? I didn't know about this technique?" Fang Lei used the scalpel to collect a little of this black blood, took out a yellow talisman from her pocket, and then, just like eating jam on bread in the morning, carefully smeared the black blood from the scalpel onto the talisman. "Holy Mary, thank goodness..."

I didn't have bread and jam for breakfast this morning!

The yellow talisman, once stained with black blood, instantly turned completely black, as if it had just been burned. Fang Lei couldn't help but frown. I suddenly realized that there was a unique charm to her frowning, making one feel an irresistible urge to protect her. How ironic, such a beautiful woman, yet she was standing next to a corpse.

Fang Lei seemed to be working on her forensic examination. She put aside the talisman and scalpel, picked up the corpse's hand, and examined it carefully. Fingernails are usually one of the places forensic examiners must examine, as they often contain important evidence: skin tissue, blood samples, or clothing fibers. Unfortunately, however, these corpses' fingernails were completely empty.

.

"Have you tested their blood samples?" Fang Lei asked me.

"Yes, but there was no sex counseling. [The rest of the text appears to be a jumbled collection of characters and phrases, possibly from different sources, and doesn't form coherent sentences. A proper translation wouldn't be meaningful without further context or clarification.]"

"Thank you," Fang Lei politely accepted the report, glancing at it only briefly. "Where's the microscope? I'd like to take another look."

I raised an eyebrow. It seemed this beautiful colleague didn't quite trust my work abilities. However, considering her strange testing method earlier, I didn't get angry. Instead, I pointed behind her, thinking she might have some other unusual methods. I was also curious to see how this forensic doctor with magical abilities conducted her tests.

Fang Lei turned and walked towards the microscope. I followed, taking the blood samples from the corpses from the small freezer specifically for storing blood samples and handing them to her. Fang Lei took the blood samples but didn't immediately put them under the microscope. Instead, she took a small box from her pocket. Inside were sheets of blue, transparent test strips, no bigger than a fingernail. I immediately recognized them as containers for the blood samples.

For this type of test, blood samples are usually first dropped onto a glass slide, and then a test strip of this type is placed on top. Fang Lei carefully used tweezers to remove the original test strip and replaced it with a test strip she had brought herself. Does this woman have a habit of bringing her own test strips? I really don't know where she got them! Just as I was wondering about her habit, she had already placed the blood sample...

We began to observe it under the microscope.

After a while, neither of us spoke. She was examining the blood sample, and I was observing her. A beautiful face, a stunning figure—I'd been so focused on her unusual testing methods that I hadn't noticed how good her figure was; curvaceous and shapely, her long legs, even tucked into her pants, exuded sexiness—she was comparable to Yin Xue! Thinking of Yin Xue, I observed…

The beautiful woman's interest vanished instantly, and the memory of that night, with Yin Xue's snow-white skin and soft, warm body, seemed to reappear before her eyes.

"Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao!" Fang Lei's voice called out, pulling me back from my memories.

"Oh, what's wrong?" I was a little embarrassed; I shouldn't be daydreaming at work, right?

"Come and take a look," Fang Lei said, gesturing for me to examine the blood sample under the microscope. I bent down hesitantly. I had been studying this blood sample for a long time; theoretically, there shouldn't be anything I hadn't seen! But what I saw under the microscope truly startled me. I saw black particles multiplying and spreading at a certain rate, while the original blood cells were...

The bursting of the particles generates more black particles.

"What is this?" I turned to Fang Lei, only to find myself right in front of her face, just centimeters apart. Suddenly, such a beautiful face loomed large before my eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. Is this what it feels like to be smitten? A blush crept across Fang Lei's face. Damn it, my heart skipped another beat. If this continues, I might die young.

"I'm sorry." I quickly straightened up and jumped to a safe distance. The blush on Fang Lei's face disappeared, replaced by her serious expression again. What a spoilsport!

"This test strip is specially made, refined by my master's Great Compassion Vajra Mantra and Five Elements Stone. It can reveal the severity of ghostly influence on the deceased simply by touching blood. As for the talisman you mentioned earlier, it's a test for vengeance. If the paper turns red, it means the person was murdered; if it's reddish-yellow, it means the deceased was raped; if water droplets form, it means the person drowned; and if black smoke forms, it means..."