“I agree with that point,” An Shu agreed and added. “Furthermore, Si Diyi's own reputation is terrible. His file has multiple records of fighting and brawling, as well as a record of domestic violence.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
For a time, discussions in the conference room grew livelier, mostly revolving around Si Nian's disappearance, speculating on the likelihood of her death and the role Si Diyi played in it.
The captain raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet. “Whether it's a vengeful spirit seeking a life or not, we must investigate this thoroughly.”
“First, focus on investigating Si Diyi's personal relationships, especially past grudges with his older sister, Si Nian. Interview his neighbors, friends, and classmates, and find as many clues as possible regarding Si Nian's disappearance. Confirm whether she is dead, and if so, when she died.”
“Second, re-examine the crime scene. Carefully test the concentration and source of the residual resentment, verify its strength, and confirm if there are any traces of other anomalous forces involved.”
He paused, then added with emphasis, “When conducting your interviews and investigations, make sure to bring your full set of standard gear—including resentment detectors, exorcism talismans, and emergency weapons. Do not let your guard down.”
The young investigator who had muttered earlier froze, looking somewhat puzzled.
But he had learned his lesson this time. Instead of raising a direct question, he quietly asked his mentor sitting next to him.
“Master, even if Si Nian really turned into a vengeful spirit, she's only been missing for about a year. A vengeful spirit that hasn't existed for very long shouldn't be too powerful, right? Do we really need to make such a big deal out of this?”
The young investigator had gotten smarter, but not too smart.
The conference room was only so big, and there were only so many people in it. Even though he spoke in a whisper, it didn't stop the surrounding people from hearing him clearly.
His mentor responsibly explained, “You don't understand what the captain means.”
“The captain is worried that this might not be a simple case of a vengeful spirit seeking retribution, but that other forces might be involved.”
“You must know that a one-year timeframe can make a huge difference for a vengeful spirit. Remember the rules regarding vengeful spirits?”
“During the first few years after a vengeful spirit is formed, its power doubles every time its death anniversary passes.”
He explained further, “If Si Nian has been dead for over a year and has already passed one death anniversary, then her vengeful spirit's power could indeed be strong enough to kill Si Diyi.”
“But if she has been dead for less than a year and hasn't passed her death anniversary yet, a spirit with such weak power couldn't possibly kill an adult so easily, even if that adult was intoxicated.”
“So, either Si Nian has been dead for more than a year, meaning Si Nian herself is the danger, or some external force is accelerating her power or directly helping her achieve her revenge. In that case, the danger lies in this unknown force.”
Hearing this, the young investigator suddenly understood. The textbook knowledge he had memorized for his exams was now being applied to a real-life situation.
The relaxed look on his face vanished, replaced by gravity.
Not just him—every investigator present understood.
Once a case handled by the Special Investigation Unit involved external intervention, it usually meant things would become much more complex. It could even drag in other bizarre forces or anomalous events, greatly increasing the difficulty of the operation.
The division of labor was quickly decided.
The investigator with glasses would lead the young investigator and his mentor, with An Shu handling information remotely. The four of them would be responsible for re-examining the crime scene.
While detecting residual resentment, they would also retrieve more surrounding surveillance footage to closely examine Si Diyi's movements after leaving the bar, checking for any unusual individuals or anomalous phenomena.
The others, along with the captain, would divide into groups to investigate Si Diyi's personal connections, focusing on tracking down Si Nian's whereabouts and cause of death.
After the meeting, everyone quickly gathered their documents and gear, filing out of the conference room one after another.
The investigator with glasses was the last to leave because he had to turn off the equipment. Just as he pushed open the conference room door, he bumped into someone from another Special Investigation Unit team.
It was just a single young man. His combat uniform was stained with dirt and blood, and there was a shallow scratch on his face. Looking quite disheveled, he was hurrying toward the office.
“Brother Li?” The investigator with glasses stopped and greeted him with a smile. “Why are you alone? Where is everyone else?”
The man called Brother Li stopped and waved his hand. “The others got injured to varying degrees and were sent to the hospital. I'm mostly fine, so I came back to write the investigation report.”
“That's good. Your field mission this time must have been tough.” The investigator with glasses nodded. “By the way, did you go to handle the case at the design institute? How did it go?”
At the mention of this, a look of relief appeared on Brother Li's face. “We got it done. It was close, but we made it. That thing was indeed tricky, but luckily we arrived in time and stopped it from causing bigger trouble.”
He didn't elaborate on the details. After all, the Special Unit's cases were subject to confidentiality regulations.
For cases with lower classification levels, brief internal exchanges were permitted, but they had to be careful with the specific details.
“Anyway, I have to hurry and write my report. You guys get to work too.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
The two chatted briefly before going their separate ways.
After taking just a few steps, the investigator with glasses met up with the young investigator and his mentor, who were waiting for him.
“That was someone from the neighboring team, right? Weren't they sent to handle that terminally ill infected host?”
Clearly, the young investigator, standing just a few paces away, had overheard their conversation perfectly.
“Must be nice. Resolving it before the incident broke out, with zero casualties. They'll definitely be commended when they get back.”
Meanwhile, earlier in the day at the cafe, Bai Ci and Jie Zhuoshi's blind date had long since fallen into an awkward deadlock, ultimately ending on a sour note.
Jie Zhuoshi, guided and lectured by Auntie Zhang all the way, walked to a park near his home.
Auntie Zhang still had to go to the market to buy groceries, so she told Jie Zhuoshi to wait for her.
Watching his mother's departing figure, Jie Zhuoshi finally let out a sigh of relief. His tense shoulders slumped, and the awkwardness and guilt on his face were gradually replaced by sheer exhaustion.
Finding a bench to sit on, he raised his hand to rub his throbbing temples. Surprisingly, the heavy, suffocating feeling that had built up in his chest over the past few days lightened significantly, as if a corner of the boulder weighing on his heart had been lifted, making even his breathing smoother.
This sudden wave of relief left Jie Zhuoshi somewhat dazed. He closed his eyes and greedily inhaled the fresh air, wanting to prolong this rare moment of comfort.
Lately, the pain of his terminal illness, the helplessness of being pressured by his mother, and his despair for the future had wrapped tightly around him like an airtight net, suffocating him.
This was the first time since he fell ill that he had felt so light.
But this relief did not last long.
A sudden, violent sensation of suffocation hit his chest, as if an invisible hand had clamped tightly around his throat, choking off his air.
The suffocation came swift and fierce, instantly overwhelming him. The relief he had just felt vanished without a trace, replaced by profound agony and terror.
Jie Zhuoshi clutched his chest tightly, his face turning deathly pale in an instant as his lips turned purple. He opened his mouth, desperate for air, but could only make weak, wheezing sounds.
It was as if the air had been completely cut off. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't inhale even a fraction of a breath.
His eyes widened, filled with terror and reluctance. His vision began to blur, and the sounds around him gradually faded away.
Rate on N.U.
