Chapter 23 The Crime Scene

The scream echoed through the corridor, and those trailing behind—Fang Yue, Head Constable Li, and the others—were startled out of their wits. Both Fang Yue and Head Constable Li had experienced the bizarre haunting at the Wang family manor the previous night, making them especially sensitive, particularly at the scene of such a gruesome crime.

Head Constable Li wished to step forward, but fear of the unknown horrors kept him rooted to the spot, hesitating. Fang Yue, on the other hand, reacted swiftly. He strode ahead, pulled aside the old innkeeper, and kicked open the door.

The floor was strewn with blood, still wet, and scattered limbs and flesh, making it nearly impossible to find a place to step. Most horrifying of all, on the bed in the center rested the head of a woman.

She was, by her features, quite comely, her eyes half-closed, lips slightly parted, with a lingering expression of pleasure on her face. In any other circumstance, this might have been a captivating scene, reminiscent of a sleeping begonia in spring or a pear blossom unveiling its beauty. But what remained was only a head—pure terror.

In the southeast and northeast corners of the room were two other women's heads, each bearing the same expression of pleasure, not a trace of agony in their final moments. On the floor, several strange symbols had been constructed from pieces of flesh and bone, and the blood, seemingly not spilled at random, followed a particular pattern.

Though the scene was eerie and horrifying, it was no different from when Fang Yue had first entered to inspect. He immediately understood—so the county magistrate had simply been frightened out of his wits.

"Scholar Fang, have you discovered anything?" Head Constable Li called from behind.

"No danger here," Fang Yue replied, glancing at Magistrate Zhang, who was collapsed on the floor. He felt a sense of speechless irony, recalling how Zhang had strutted about just moments before, now reduced to this absurd state.

Head Constable Li immediately rushed forward, drawing the long knife from his waist and positioning himself protectively before Magistrate Zhang. He shouted, "Bold villain, you dare harm Magistrate Zhang! Men, protect the magistrate and help him downstairs to rest. Also, drive all idle guests out of the inn, lest the villain slip among the crowd!"

Hearing this, the guests downstairs, whether they understood or not, hurriedly grabbed their belongings and fled the inn. Only the two inn attendants, A-Gui and A-Hu, exchanged confused glances—not certain if they were among the 'idle' guests, torn between staying and leaving.

Head Constable Li barked another order, then ignored those downstairs. Seeing his own constables still dazed, he shot them a fierce glare, then went to help the trembling Magistrate Zhang to his feet, asking quietly, "Are you all right, sir?"

Magistrate Zhang suddenly shoved Head Constable Li aside and ran to the corner, vomiting violently.

Head Constable Li whispered to the old innkeeper, "Arrange a room downstairs for Magistrate Zhang to rest. Quickly."

Once Magistrate Zhang had been assisted downstairs to recover, only Fang Yue, Head Constable Li, and the three constables remained upstairs.

Fang Yue asked, "Is Magistrate Zhang always like this?"

Head Constable Li shook his head with a bitter smile. "He came up through the civil examination, always handling paperwork, warehouse matters, taxes, and other clerical duties at the county office. He's never dealt with criminal cases like this—likely he's simply not accustomed."

Fang Yue said nothing more and together they entered the crime scene.

Head Constable Li, having witnessed his share of bloody cases, was not frightened by the grisly scene in the room, though his face was pale. His three constables, however, were less hardened—one of them rushed out to vomit as well.

Fang Yue explained, "This guest room was previously rented by four itinerant traders. Though they claimed to be traders, each was tall and robust—I suspect their identities were false."

He gestured to the heads on the bed and floor. "These three women, according to the inn staff, were brought in by the four traders from the brothel."

Fang Yue relayed all he knew, including the noises he had heard the previous night, hoping to provide Head Constable Li and his men with useful information.

Head Constable Li said, "Those four traders are almost certainly the culprits."

Fang Yue replied, "Their suspicion is greatest; after all, only they were in the room. They left the inn not long ago—if the city gates are sealed and a thorough search conducted, they will have nowhere to hide and should be apprehended soon."

Head Constable Li shook his head. "Sealing the gates and searching the city would cause too great a stir. These are extraordinary times and such actions are inadvisable."

Fang Yue frowned. "Precisely because these are extraordinary times, shouldn’t we swiftly apprehend the culprits, administer justice, demonstrate the county office’s resolve, soothe public anxiety, and deter would-be robbers from acting rashly?"

Head Constable Li said, "Scholar Fang, you’re thinking too simply. The office is short-staffed—several constables died at the Wang family manor yesterday, and today many constables and clerks have feigned illness and stayed home, unwilling to come to the office. No one can handle these hard cases."

Fang Yue said, "If constables and clerks are insufficient, the county captain’s men should provide additional manpower, and there are plenty of militia who can be mobilized."

Head Constable Li grew impatient. "Master Zhao’s soldiers have other duties. Scholar Fang, these matters do not concern you. The magistrate has ordered that all county affairs prioritize stability. It is not wise to stir up trouble; everything will wait for reinforcements from above to quell the chaos of demons and ghosts."

Fang Yue fell silent. He could anticipate the mindset of these officials—relying on them was futile.

The crime scene was so bizarre and bloody, clearly linked to demonic cultists, and the culprits had already been identified. They ought to be pursued with all haste to uncover their motives and the mastermind behind them. Yet the county office moved so sluggishly, leaving Fang Yue disappointed.

He sensed that if the demonic cultists were not stopped soon, their harm would rival that of the supernatural threats—especially given their connection to demonic deities, strange and unfathomable.

Just then, Coroner Cao arrived at the scene with his apprentice and began the autopsy.

The room was cramped, so Fang Yue and Head Constable Li stepped out, standing at the doorway, watching Coroner Cao work inside.

...

As dusk fell, the wind howled outside.

In the inn’s main hall, a dim kerosene lamp flickered.

Fang Yue sat at the table, holding a bowl of rice. Several dishes were laid out before him, along with empty plates.

Compared to Fang Yue, who ate heartily, inn attendant A-Gui sat opposite, clutching his bowl but wearing a mournful expression, unable to swallow his food.

"Scholar Fang, do you think there are really ghosts in this world?"

Fang Yue’s calm demeanor did nothing to reassure him. A-Gui was terrified, especially recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier that day—he still felt sick to his stomach, unable to eat, leaving most of the food for Fang Yue.

"There are," Fang Yue answered with certainty, picking up a rib and eating with relish.

A-Gui had been forced by the old innkeeper to stay and watch over the inn. Now, aside from the two of them, the vast inn was empty—everyone else had fled.