Chapter 9: Dark Ghosts, Suspicion
April 1st, Saturday.
Due to the holiday arrangements for Qingming Festival, school was in session as usual today.
The events that had just transpired had impacted me so profoundly that I was wide awake before even washing my face.Once I finally managed to get Xinran out of the bathroom, I let out a weary sigh and locked the door.
It seems I’ll have to lock the door whenever I wash up or use the toilet from now on… Yes, I should lock the bedroom door and windows too, just in case.
Just as I was about to wash my face, I discovered a few more things that sent shivers down my spine.
My toothbrush was missing, the towel was wet, and there was still water in the cup, as if someone had already used these toiletries before me… Could I really be possessed by something bad?
Xinran said she didn’t climb onto my bed last night, and she was definitely not lying.
In fact, my siblings and I are all incapable of lying. We’re usually too blunt, so it’s even more impossible for Xinran to lie to me, her older brother.
But I definitely slept while holding someone… or something… last night. That was no dream!
That puddle of liquid on the bedsheet is the best evidence!
I’m definitely being haunted by a ghost, or a specter, or some other evil entity.
What drives away ghosts? Salt, garlic, crosses… Ugh, no, that’s for vampires… How do you deal with ordinary specters?
The methods for dealing with ghosts vary slightly between East and West. There are those who use chicken blood and talismans, and those who use “scientific” ghost-repelling devices. However, I don’t know if those bizarre methods actually work, and I don’t dare to try them randomly. As for getting help… I might as well find a reliable person directly rather than hiring an unreliable Taoist priest or ghost hunter.
Pouring out the unknown liquid in the cup and rinsing the toothbrush several times, I brushed my teeth while thinking of a solution.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck, and I remembered someone I hadn’t seen much of lately.
Isn’t Lili a succubus? She should know how to deal with these unscientific beings.
Unscientific problems should be dealt with by unscientific individuals. I’m sure Teacher would be willing to help me.
If she doesn’t, I’ll just give her an order… Hehehe…
No, no, how did my thoughts suddenly turn so evil?
How can someone as righteous as me resort to coercion?
Tsk, it seems I really have been possessed by a ghost. Even my thoughts are becoming wicked. This is not good, not good…
Shaking my head and spitting out the water, I left the bathroom, changed my clothes, and went downstairs.
It was only 6 AM, but there were already four people gathered in the living room.
Besides Xinran, whom I had just sent away, there were also Keling, Miss Shirley, and a man…
Just as I was about to walk over, Keling spotted me and came over before I could, her face beaming with a sunlit smile as she rushed towards me.
“Good morning~ Brother! Did you sleep well last night?”
After catching Keling, who rushed into my arms, and spinning her around to steady myself, I put her down and said.
“Oh, Keling, you’re up so early today.”
“Yes, all thanks to Shirley~”
Miss Shirley also walked over, bowed to me, and asked.
“Young Master Juncheng, good morning. Is there anything you’d like for breakfast?”
“Whatever is fine… Hmm, then a sandwich.”
Miss Shirley smiled elegantly, bowed slightly to me again, and went to prepare breakfast.
Indeed, when she’s wearing a maid outfit, she gives a completely different impression than yesterday.
However, Shirley’s maid outfit today seems to have a slightly shorter skirt?
Her previous skirt reached below her knees, but the hem of the maid outfit she’s wearing today barely covers half of her knee.
It gives a lighter and more lively impression than before.
Did she suddenly change her skirt because the weather has been improving lately? But changing the length of the skirt just a little feels a bit strange…
With Keling holding my arm, I walked towards the dining table and sat next to Xinran. The man sitting opposite me… my dad looked up at me.
He appeared to be around forty years old, his hair was almost completely white, and several wrinkles creased his weather-beaten forehead. He still looked a bit tired, but his eyes were sharp and clear. Though he was sitting, his back was straight.
I remember when I was young, he would always be reading the newspaper at this time, his figure obscured by the paper, giving off an air of inexplicable authority.
Lately, he’s been browsing the news on his smartphone. After his aura of authority vanished, I suddenly realized, this is my dad…
【Supreme Scalpel】
【An Yongkang】
Wow, I haven’t seen Dad much lately, so I didn’t know about his title. Seeing it now… should I say it’s expected? It’s a professional title, just like Mom’s. And equally chuunibyo.
Heh, in that regard, they are indeed a perfect match.
“Yo, Dad, morning.”
Yesterday morning, Miss Shirley said she had Dad’s permission, so it seems it wasn’t just an excuse. It looks like Dad’s work has finally concluded, and he can come home to rest.
“Oh, Juncheng, good morning.”
“It’s quite rare you have time to come back… Where’s Mom? Is she back?”
“She’s still sleeping. She didn’t get back until past 3 AM this morning. I can finally catch my breath, but she still has to work hard for a while longer. I don’t know when it will end… The number of injured patients has decreased recently, but the number of corpses has increased instead.”
Hearing my dad say this, I couldn’t help but frown. More corpses? I wanted to ask last weekend, what exactly happened?
Just as I was about to ask, Keling asked in my stead with a hint of unease in her voice.
“Ugh… What’s going on? Dad.”
“Have you guys been watching the news lately? It’s a huge scandal. The provincial party secretary himself has issued a wanted notice, offering rewards for any useful information.”
As he spoke, Dad handed me his smartphone. Keling and Xinran leaned in to look at the news with me.
The headline of the hot topic was ‘A Ripper Jack-level Dismemberment Killer?! The Seventh Victim Appears, the Carnage Continues!’ It was about a series of recent murders.
It said there’s a serial killer who specifically murders at midnight. He’s already targeted seven people, and each victim’s death was horrific, dismembered into several pieces.
Seeing this news, I suddenly thought of Lianbing… Could it be… No, it couldn’t be. She told me she’s never killed anyone, and I don’t think she was lying. Besides, Lianbing is a perfectionist. To ensure the integrity of my body, she didn’t use any weapons during her pursuit of me; she just choked me. Moreover, dismemberment doesn’t align with her aesthetic values.
I found countless reasons in my heart to prove Lianbing’s innocence, yet I don’t know why I’m making excuses for her. The fact that she wanted to kill me, and almost succeeded, is an undeniable truth, yet I can’t bring myself to hate her…
Therefore, the gloom in my heart hasn’t dissipated… What if she really did it… Can I report her?
I looked up at Miss Shirley. Miss Shirley also turned to look at me. Noticing my gaze, she gently shook her head, placed her hand on her chest, and gave me a heartwarming smile.
She was telling me that this matter had nothing to do with Ji Lianbing, so I should rest assured.
Phew… Although I knew in my heart that this matter probably had nothing to do with Lianbing, receiving confirmation from Miss Shirley made me sigh with relief.
“Brother?”
Keling tilted her head, looking at me with confusion. She heard my sigh.
“Ah, I’m fine. But Dad, Mom’s been working overtime every day lately. Could she be stitching together these dismembered corpses?”
I had initially thought there were just more dead people, but now it seems it’s not that simple…
“Yes, she’s the best stitcher in the city. Not only do the victims’ families hope she can restore the bodies, but the police also hope to confirm the victims’ identities through her.”
“Confirm their identities?”
“Yes, because we don’t even know if the ‘body parts’ scattered at the scene actually belong to ‘one person’.”
Dad added with a thoughtful expression.
“This series of random killings… there are actually more than seven victims. It’s probably more accurate to say that only seven bodies have been ‘reassembled so far.’ There are countless other severed limbs. This killer… I don’t know how many people they’ve killed. It might even be a group of lunatics.”
“Good heavens… Why don’t they release this information!”
Keling, holding my arm tightly with unease, cried out in fright.
“Just releasing that there were seven victims has already caused an extremely negative impact. If this information were also public, it would cause widespread panic. The police are currently conducting a full-scale search, but there’s still no headway.”
“No clues at all?”
Xinran showed no fear and asked calmly.
“Not yet… But there has been a gain. One of the survivors, who fortunately escaped, finally woke up recently. However, due to the immense trauma, their mental state is completely broken. I’ve asked Dr. He from our hospital’s psychiatry department to treat that person. Perhaps they can assist the police in finding some clues.”
“Oh…”
It’s probably hopeless. Someone who survived such a bloody hell must have a completely shattered mind.
“In any case, you all must be careful. Your school should be issuing a notice to temporarily cancel evening study sessions soon. Don’t wander around after class; go straight home, understand?”
The three of us siblings said in unison.
“Understood (Got it).” x3
Dad nodded and continued to ask.
“Also, Juncheng, how’s your injury?”
Dad is unusually talkative today. It seems he’s genuinely worried about us.
Even though Dad is always working, his heart is still with his family.
“Ah, it’s not bad. Even when I roll over, it doesn’t hurt anymore. Will the stitches be removed in a few days?”
“Yes, come to the hospital the day after tomorrow. I’ll remove your stitches and change your bandages.”
“OK.”
Recently, my wound has been itchy, and I want to scratch it, but I don’t dare to. It would be great if the stitches could be removed and the bandages changed sooner.
“Juncheng.”
Dad took a sip of tea to moisten his throat. He hesitated for a moment before asking me.
“Is there anything else?”
I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich.
“Answer me honestly, have you encountered any trouble recently?”
“Ah… Ah? What kind of trouble?”
“That injury wasn’t from a fall, was it? It looks like it was from a sharp object. Tell me honestly, how did you get hurt?”
So he noticed. It’s no wonder he wouldn’t notice, being a surgeon.
So… how should I explain this? While I didn’t run into the perverted serial killer from the news, the reason of being scratched by a zombie is equally difficult to explain… I’ll put it this way.
“It was from a street fight. I was cut by a sharp weapon.”
“Who!?” x2
Xinran and Keling simultaneously shouted on either side of me, making my ears buzz.
Uh, why are you guys getting so worked up…
“So I said it was a street fight… With so many people throwing punches and kicks, how would I know who hit me…”
It’s probably not a lie. It was indeed a street fight, but it was a group of zombies fighting me and Lianbing. And I couldn’t see the names of those zombies.
Dad’s brows furrowed even deeper. He said to me with a solemn expression.
“In any case, be very careful. Never get involved in strange things. No matter what, failure allows for a second try, but you only have one life!”
“I know. In fact, no one knows that better than I do. Dad, you can rest assured. I’m a safety-first advocate.”
“That’s good.”
The morning conversation ended there, and we began eating breakfast in silence.
Dad is quiet, which is understandable. But why are Keling and Xinran so silent too?
And Keling… something about her feels… a bit… scary… She’s emitting a very dangerous aura… Hmm… Is this what she looks like when her black-bellied attribute is revealed?
As for Xinran, she’s even worse. She feels as cold as a block of ice.
The atmosphere was so uncomfortable that I quickly swallowed my breakfast and left the house.
At the door, while tying my shoelaces, I said to Shirley.
“Shirley, you don’t need to pick me up today.”
“Do you have important matters to attend to?”
“Yes, I need to go to the library to see Teacher Yang about something. I don’t know when I’ll be back, so I won’t trouble you.”
“That’s not advisable, Young Master Juncheng. You just heard what the master of the house said, right? It’s dangerous to go out alone at night. What if you encounter the random killer?”
“It’s alright, I’m quite fast at running away.”
Shirley closed her eyes and pondered for a moment, then opened them and said.
“…Alright then. Young Master Juncheng, please stand up for a moment.”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
Miss Shirley approached me, cupped my cheeks, and.
“Uh, Miss Shirley?”
“You will surely be safe today.”
Those words, as if imbued with magic, entered my brain, giving me a strange feeling.
After saying something that sounded more like a suggestion than a blessing, Miss Shirley kissed my forehead.
Whaaaa?!
She kissed me quite forcefully, even sucking in a bit, making it feel like she’d leave a hickey.
“Hehehe, although it’s improper behavior for a maid to act like this, if it were a sister, kissing her younger brother would be a very normal thing, wouldn’t it?”
“Mm… I’m leaving then, Shirley…”
Under Miss Shirley’s expectant gaze, I shyly said the two words I hadn’t dared to say.
“Sister…”
“Mhm, be careful on your way~”
I covered my forehead and turned around, quickly running out of the house, afraid Miss Shirley would see my blushing face.
Mmm, no wonder Xinran never called me big brother in front of me before. I can kind of understand her feelings now… Is calling someone “sister” this embarrassing!
However, a maid sister…
I feel a little bit excited.
