Глаза Асуры

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"Alright, I've told you enough. You should go now, or people will see me and say I'm slacking off." The middle-aged man shook his head and simply remained silent.

"Thank you for your trouble." An Qiqi nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and left.

Twenty minutes later, the two met Park Eun-hee at the funeral home.

A large photograph of Uncle Park was displayed in the center of the mourning hall. The family members had red and swollen eyes and solemn expressions.

An Qiqi walked to the front of the mourning hall, presented a wreath to Uncle Park, bowed several times, and then followed the flow of people to the family members to pay his respects. At that moment, his eyes finally became a little moist, but he still didn't let the tears fall; after a moment, they returned to their sockets.

A group of people surrounded Park Eun-hee, sighing...

An Qiqi quietly observed Park Eun-hee. Park Eun-hee's eyes were red-rimmed, and she looked very tired, which made An Qiqi unsure how to begin...

About ten minutes later, Park Eun-hee walked up to Ahn Chil-chi and said, "Thank you for coming to see my dad today. He'll be very happy."

"Sigh, I promised him I'd come back to visit him, but I never expected it to be like this." An Qiqi sighed, then comforted Park Eun-hee, "Uncle Park has passed away, Eun-hee, please accept my condolences."

"You came to see me today because of that headless female corpse case?"

An Qiqi was startled, her gaze meeting Park Eun-hee's. He didn't look away, but stared intently at An Qiqi. An Qiqi found it strange; she hadn't expected Park Eun-hee's gaze to be so calm and composed.

"Actually, we were just passing by and happened to find out what was going on. Someone has already come to claim the woman's body; according to sources, the body was lost from the crematorium."

"Why are you so quick to accuse my father of this? There are many things in this world that are hard to explain. He was driven to his death by gossip!" Park Eun-hee's face tightened as she spoke coldly.

"Eun-hee, I'm a police officer, and my mission is to bring the truth to light."

"I know, Officer Ahn, you're a good police officer, and I hope you can find out the truth soon. If you need my cooperation, I will definitely give it my full support." Park Eun-hee glanced away.

"Eun-hee, you've really misunderstood. I'm not here today to interrogate you, but to confirm something."

"Please tell me."

"In the HY University case two years ago, the murderer Shin Mi-hyun committed suicide out of guilt. Was Uncle Park personally cremated?"

Park Eun-hee paused for a moment upon hearing Shin Mi-hyun's name, then nodded: "Yes, that should be it."

"How do you know?" An Qiqi's gaze was sharp.

Park Eun-hee seemed to recall something from the past, her gaze shifting slightly, but she quickly regained her composure: "Yes, it was indeed my father who handled the cremation work. I knew Shin Mi-hyun before, and since my father worked here, I knew some things about her. Is that wrong?"

"I didn't mean anything by it."

"Really?" Park Eun-hee looked at him with a strange expression and asked, "Do you think this is related to the case you're investigating?"

An Qiqi was somewhat discouraged; he understood that he wouldn't get any valuable clues from Park Eun-hee. He smiled slightly and said, "Eun-hee, I apologize for bothering you. Please forgive any misunderstandings; after all, I was just carrying out official duties..."

"I know you will always be my most trusted friend, you were, you are, and you always will be."

Section 112: Chapter Twenty-Three - The Mystery (6)

The two exchanged a smile, their former friendliness restored. Song Xiaomo said "Goodbye" and quickly walked out of the somber mourning hall.

The rain outside has stopped, but the sky is still full of dark clouds.

"Your classmate is probably already on guard; it's like they know exactly what's on your mind," Xiao Nan said.

"Heh, maybe he's more confident than me. Back in high school, I always lost to him academically, so I had to go to police academy." An Qiqi looked up at the sky and murmured, "Eun-hee, are we really going to have to compete again?"

Upon arriving at the police station, An Qiqi saw several policemen escorting a prisoner onto a prison van. The numbers on the prisoner's chest immediately caught his eye. Suddenly, he rushed forward, startling the heavily armed policemen who thought he was there to hijack the prison van.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he mistook me for someone else." Xiao Nan hugged him from behind, took out her police ID, and explained, "We're all on the same side, we're all on the same side..."

An Qiqi calmed down and pondered for a moment before saying, "Xiao Nan, do you remember what we found in that box at the cemetery? The forensic technician confirmed that it didn't contain ashes, but rather ash left from burning coarse cotton fabric. As for the '4' tag, it's still undetermined... Now I understand, it was something left after the prison uniform burned, and that '4' was an unburned prisoner's identification tag..."

"Right...right!" Xiao Nan exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "The clues were right beside us, but we overlooked them!"

"Finally, God has opened his eyes and hasn't let us remain in the dark forever. This further confirms the possibility that Shen Meixuan is alive. The return of the ghost doll—that's probably the meaning of those five words." An Qiqi's gloomy mood finally began to brighten.

"There's still something I don't understand: what exactly did Song Xiaomo see in the room across the street that rainy night?"

"Regarding this issue, I consulted an expert a few days ago. He believes it's a natural phenomenon. It's possible the walls of that room have some paint containing special chemicals that can record a scene during a thunderstorm and then reappear it during the next thunderstorm. It's said that this phenomenon also exists in the Forbidden City in Beijing, where people often see rows of palace maids and eunuchs appearing on the walls during thunderstorms… What Song Xiaomo saw might be the old image of Shen Meixuan and Jin Renxuan…"

"Qiqi, you're amazing! You're incredible!"

"Don't give me that! We haven't made any progress on the Shen Meixuan lead yet, so don't let your guard down... We'll try our best to find her as soon as possible."

Xiao Nan looked troubled. "So what should we do next?"

"Right now, we can only start with Song Xiaomo and Park Eun-hee... Oh, and we need to focus on investigating the case from two years ago; I've always felt there's something wrong with that case."

Section 113: Chapter Twenty-Four - Tearing Off Your Face (1)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Tearing Off Your Face

Outside the window, the moonlight is bright and clear.

When Song Xiaomo woke up in the middle of the night, she saw a cat meowing as it scurried past the window.

This room where someone had died used to terrify him, but his fear subsided after he met Meixuan there. However, once Meixuan left, his heart felt empty again, and fear crept back in. He felt as if he had returned to the days of constant anxiety.

"There will be retribution..." This phrase repeatedly jolted him awake from his dreams. Although he eventually confirmed that the headless female corpse by the lake was just a false alarm, Song Xiaomo's emotions seemed to become even more unstable. His sleep schedule became extremely chaotic; sometimes he would stay awake for over ten hours without feeling tired, and he would frequently lose consciousness. Moreover, he had many nightmares while asleep, to the point that he couldn't even distinguish between reality and dreams...

In the middle of the night, Song Xiaomo's door was gently pushed open.

A pair of feet in white high heels slipped in from outside. He could only make out that it was a woman in white, her face blurry. Was it Meixuan returning? She stood in the living room, looking around, then turned and went into the kitchen. The sounds of pots, pans, bowls, and cleavers coming from inside suggested that the woman was preparing a delicious meal.

Song Xiaomo saw the pair of high-heeled feet enter through the crack in the bedroom door. He remained frozen in fear until the woman went into the kitchen to cook. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the kitchen was now completely silent. Had the woman left?

Song Xiaomo tiptoed out of the bedroom, crossed the living room, and walked to the kitchen door. The door was closed. He pushed hard, and with a bang, it opened. The kitchen light bulb swayed in the air. A woman lay stiffly on the floor, her pale face congealed with a horrifying expression. A large gash ran down her neck, and a pool of blood covered the floor. Song Xiaomo slipped, realizing that the water on the floor was increasing, as if trying to wash away the blood… Song Xiaomo let out a heart-wrenching scream and jolted awake from the nightmare.

"Ah..." Song Xiaomo couldn't help but let out a soft cry after waking up. His heart felt like it was going to jump out of his throat, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. He turned on the light and saw that the clock on the bedside table was pointing to one in the morning. It was quiet all around, except for the creaking sound of a chair rocking back and forth from the ceiling. He knew that the old lady upstairs was feeding her grandson an apple to thin air. Song Xiaomo hated this kind of sound, but at this moment, it lessened his fear. After all, there was someone upstairs, and he felt a little braver.

Song Xiaomo decided to check the kitchen. Although it was just a nightmare, he knew his dreams were often accurate, sometimes even omens. Could there really be a female corpse in the kitchen?

He entered the living room, turned on the lights, and then walked towards the kitchen through a narrow side passage. Suddenly, he slipped and looked down to see the floor covered in water. The kitchen door was tightly shut, and water of an indistinct color was seeping out from under the door—exactly the same scene as in his dream! Song Xiaomo's heart clenched, and his legs trembled. He knew that if he pushed open the kitchen door, he would find the woman's body submerged in water…

Song Xiaomo turned and ran into the living room. No, he couldn't stay in this room any longer. He decisively opened the door and ran out, closing it behind him. Standing outside, he fumbled for the hallway light. Oh God, what should he do? If only someone could help him now. Perhaps it was divine intervention, but as soon as Song Xiaomo turned the corner, he saw Xiuzi's door was ajar, light shining through. He pushed the door open as if he'd found a savior.

"Xiuzi, are you there?" Song Xiaomo asked softly into the room.

There was no response; his voice seemed to echo in the empty room in the middle of the night.

Song Xiaomo hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and walked towards Xiuzi's bedroom. He gently pushed open the door; the light was on, and the bed was empty. He saw a pair of white high heels! The shoes were placed beside the bed, as if a woman had taken them off and slept in them.

Just as he was about to leave the room, footsteps sounded in the hallway outside. Someone was coming! This time, Song Xiaomo not only dared not come out, but also quickly closed the door. There was a peephole in the door, and he stood behind it, nervously staring outside through the peephole.

The corridor was pitch black, but the lights were somehow turned on. Through the peephole, Song Xiaomo saw a woman with disheveled hair. Her steps were light and unsteady, like a wandering ghost. Before she could get a closer look, the woman had disappeared to the left of the peephole, followed by a knocking sound at the door.

Song Xiaomo was terrified, his whole body went numb. This woman was knocking on his door! Luckily, he came out.

The knocking continued. Song Xiaomo wondered, was it Meixuan? Or another ghost?

Song Xiaomo felt dizzy. He tried his best to keep his mind clear. Suddenly, he wondered if the woman would come and knock on the door of the room he was in. He suddenly thought of the high heels in the bedroom. Or maybe the woman was Xiuzi!

But why would Hideko go looking for him in the middle of the night when he wasn't in his room?

The knocking on the door was startling. Strangely, the sound quickly disappeared.

Suddenly, Song Xiaomo felt a cold hand grab his leg from below. He screamed, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. He saw the ground spinning, and struggling to lift his head, he saw a young boy's face facing him.

"Tongtong, why are you crying? What happened to you...?" Song Xiaomo saw that Tongtong's face was covered in tears, and then she saw that there was blood on his hands, feet, and even his hair! The bloodstains spread on his white clothes and formed beautiful shapes, like newly blooming flowers.

Tongtong burst into tears: "Auntie...she...Auntie..."

"What's wrong with Auntie?" He realized something was wrong.

"Auntie is dead!"

"Dead?" Song Xiaomo was stunned, as if struck by lightning. He asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened?"

"When I went to the bathroom to pee, I found the auntie lying in the bathtub... dead!"

"What?" Song Xiaomo felt a chill rush up from the soles of her feet, spreading throughout her body.

"Quick...quick, take me...to see this!"

The dim light shone into the bathroom, and a shadowy figure could be vaguely seen lying stiffly in the bathtub. A hand protruded from the edge of the tub, its five fingers dripping with blood.

The faucet in the bathtub was left running, and water overflowed.

Song Xiaomo found it hard to believe that the frail Xiuzi's body contained so much blood; the messy bathroom resembled a blood-soaked sea after a shipwreck. Images of Xiuzi's helpless struggle flashed before his eyes: the murderer and the victim entangled, spinning and dancing in the sink. In her swirling shadow, a white ghost doll swayed in mid-air on the window; the dying woman continued to struggle, her convulsing arms seemingly reaching for something, but only creating a terrifying, chaotic blur that grotesquely appeared on the white wall.

Section 114: Chapter Twenty-Four - Tearing Off Your Face (2)

Without a doubt, Hideko was murdered; there was a large, bloody gash on her neck.

The scene in the dream has become reality.

Could it be Meixuan? No, that's impossible!

Was the woman he saw through the peephole really Hideko? Could it be Hideko's spirit coming out to knock on his door and say goodbye? At the same time, he recalled his encounter with He Zhiying at the school gate that morning, and how their last conversation felt like a final farewell!

Ten minutes after the police were called, the doctor and the police arrived one after another. As the doctor carried Xiuzi's body past Song Xiaomo, an unexpected scene unfolded—Xiuzi's hand suddenly slipped out from under the shroud, and her outstretched fingers grabbed Song Xiaomo's clothes!

This action elicited a scream from Song Xiaomo. Xiuzi's five fingers were stiff and outstretched in a terrifying manner, like a withered claw.

Died with his eyes wide open in disbelief?!

A serious word suddenly jumped into Song Xiaomo's mind.

Back in his room, Song Xiaomo discovered that the water from the kitchen had flooded into the living room. He walked over with a pounding heart. The kitchen was empty, the tap had been left running, and water was gushing from the sink like a waterfall.

Once again, he opened the door at the top of the stairs.

"Meixuan, come out and tell me, did you kill Xiuzi?" Song Xiaomo cried out weakly. At this moment, he still wanted to believe that Meixuan was a kind ghost and that she would not hurt anyone.

The room was empty, giving it the feel of a tomb.

Song Xiaomo held his breath and turned on the light, searching the room. To his disappointment, he found no important clues about Meixuan. He felt uneasy, realizing he would be facing police questioning again tomorrow. Could he tell them the suspect was a ghost?

Why do people suffer wherever he goes?

A small piece of bone remained on the table, and he couldn't help but recall the braised pork ribs by candlelight on his birthday. Perhaps this was the evidence.

After pacing around the room, Song Xiaomo went to the kitchen and opened a Siemens refrigerator in a corner. The moment the door opened, a chill ran down his spine. A scream rose in his throat, and he desperately covered his mouth, letting out a terrifying groan. In the cold air, there lay a stark white skull! The flesh-and-blood skeleton grinned, its two rows of white teeth displaying a chilling smile. Its dark eye sockets were unfathomable, meeting Song Xiaomo's gaze directly. Beside it was a glass container, a pair of severed eyeballs submerged in liquid.

"Braised pork ribs...braised pork ribs..." It was like lightning striking from a dark cloud. Song Xiaomo was hit. He suddenly felt waves of cramping pain in his abdomen, his vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground...

At four in the morning, Song Xiaomo awoke from his coma with a splitting headache and struggled to get out of the room. He lowered his head, feeling something stirring inside his head, active and eager to emerge, unwilling to remain in a dark and hopeless world.

A sliver of moonlight stirred the deep darkness of the night, and in that darkness, a white figure stood before him.

"Meixuan?"

Song Xiaomo stared blankly, then pinched herself hard. A sharp pain shot through her—it wasn't a dream! The figure took a few steps lightly, the moonlight illuminating her face. Song Xiaomo cried out in surprise, "Meixuan…you, how could you…"

"Xiao Mo," Mei Xuan smiled slightly, "thank you for staying with me these past few days... I'm going back tonight, so I came to say goodbye."