Chapter 043: This Is The Start of a Crime Case!

Chapter 043: This Is The Start of a Crime Case!

"Do you know where Bai Ran is?" Chi Shen added.

Caught in a daze, Xu Jiayuan automatically replied, "I heard he's at Bai Er's villa, the one at Liu Yun Waterfall."

Chi Shen nodded. "Thank you."

He then looked at his phone, typed "Liu Yun Waterfall" into the navigation app, and pondered over the multiple route options. He was no longer familiar with the city.

What Xu Jiayuan saw next was surreal. From Chi Shen's shadow, a pale and slender hand seemed to reach out and tap on the phone. Doubting his eyes, he blinked hard and rubbed them. When he looked again, he saw nothing.

Had he imagined it?

The reaction from the shadow with the severed hand was immediate. It flinched, seemingly trying to distance itself from the spot. However, whatever was binding it was still in place, preventing it from moving.

Chi Shen handed the locust tree branch he was holding to Xu Jiayuan. As Xu Jiayuan took it with stiff hands, he found himself face to face with the shadow, involuntarily shivering from the intense cold. The chilling aura was overwhelming, and he struggled to handle it.

"Should I take him back?" Xu Jiayuan asked hesitantly. The idea of escorting a fierce ghost to the Special Security Bureau alone made him feel quite insecure.

"No, I'll take him to Bai Ran. That way, he can't accuse me of falsely blaming him," came the reply.

Xu Jiayuan blinked in confusion, "How do you propose we..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Chi Shen hop onto a bicycle and zoom off. As he sped past the dark figure with the severed hand, he effortlessly grabbed it by the collar and raced away, soon leaving only a silhouette behind.

Xu Jiayuan muttered, "He really just... took it with him, huh?"

Suddenly, he noticed something drop from Chi Shen. Bending down to inspect, Xu Jiayuan hastily stepped back. A shadow! Chi Shen had ridden away but left his shadow behind!

"Wait a minute!" Xu Jiayuan shouted, but it was in vain; Chi Shen was already out of earshot.

How can someone leave their shadow behind?

Cold sweat formed on Xu Jiayuan's forehead. Was Chi Shen even human?

Recalling the spontaneously combusting detector and talismans, everything about Chi Shen seemed inhuman.

The abandoned shadow suddenly twitched, and a hand emerged from it. Instead of fleeing, Xu Jiayuan rummaged through his belongings and readied his phone to make a call.

Shortly after, another hand appeared, and the shadowy figure transformed into a semi-transparent man with glasses. The man looked calmly at Xu Jiayuan, apologizing, "Sorry to have frightened you."

Startled, Xu Jiayuan almost dropped his phone. Managing to hold onto it, he looked up and cautiously greeted, "Hello?"

"Hello," replied the man, named Ji Xingchen.

Only then did Xu Jiayuan breathe a sigh of relief. Just a wandering spirit – nothing to be alarmed about.

Observing Xu Jiayuan's relaxed demeanor, Ji Xingchen spoke, "Officer, I'd like to file a report."

Xu Jiayuan was familiar with such scenarios. Some spirits had come to the Special Security Bureau to report crimes before. He immediately activated the recording function on his phone, asking, "Did someone murder you? It wasn't Chi Shen, was it?"

From his training, Xu Jiayuan knew that spirits often haunt their murderers. Considering this spirit emerged from Chi Shen's shadow... could it be?

Thinking of Chi Shen's cold and calculated demeanor when handling the dark figure, he seemed all too much like a calculating, psychopathic antagonist. If someone told Xu Jiayuan that Chi Shen was a murderer, he'd probably even add traits like high intelligence and a killer's charm to the profile.

"No," Ji Xingchen adjusted his glasses, "it was Bai Ran."

Xu Jiayuan was taken aback once more. At a loss for how to react, he could only stare and ask, "Bai Ran?!"

"Yes, I hope you, officer, can investigate," Ji Xingchen said.

Being a member of the Special Security Bureau, Xu Jiayuan might seem a bit naive at times, but he never faltered when it counted. He immediately phoned his superior, Yuan Yiping, and relayed his conversation with Ji Xingchen.

Soon after, two vehicles from the Special Security Bureau arrived to collect them. Ji Xingchen and Xu Jiayuan boarded and headed straight for Bai Hengqing's residence.

A ghost filing a complaint typically indicated a case of homicide. Naturally, the Special Security Bureau took this very seriously, assigning Yuan Yiping to handle it.

Chi Shen became aware of Ji Xingchen's departure. Unaware of Ji Xingchen's intentions since they hadn't discussed them, Chi Shen had impulsively decided to seek out Bai Ran without conferring with Ji Xingchen.

Nevertheless, he believed everyone deserved their personal space. If Ji Xingchen wanted to handle his affairs alone or was reluctant to visit Bai Ran's, Chi Shen would respect that.

His only concern was Ji Xingchen's vulnerability. What if he was devoured by other ghosts? Chi Shen could only hope Ji Xingchen would tread carefully.

In a flash, Chi Shen arrived at Bai Hengqing's mansion on his bicycle. Meanwhile, the bureau's vehicles, caught in evening rush hour, were stuck in traffic. Riding a bike had proven to be the quicker option for Chi Shen.

After registering with the security, Chi Shen, still dragging the dark figure, entered the compound. Instead of asking for Bai Hengqing's exact location, he let Gui Lian scout around. Wherever Gui Lian found the most peculiar, that's where Bai Hengqing would be.

Gui Lian soon reported back: Bai Hengqing resided in the most secluded and distant villa within the compound.

On his way there, Chi Shen encountered a familiar figure — the monstrous being covered in tumors that had once visited him. They exchanged greetings, and the creature voluntarily led the way to Bai Ran.

After passing through two groves, a villa came into view.

Bai Hengqing's residence was grandiose — a European-style mansion guarded at its entrance. The sight made Chi Shen remark, "Does ghost hunting really pay this well?"

"You wouldn't understand," Gui Lian said with an air of experience. "These tycoons, when they break ground or launch businesses, they call them to conduct rituals, choose auspicious dates, and assess the feng shui. That's where the money comes from."

The tumor-covered monster chimed in, "If they don't pay, those places become haunted. Then they need to pay double for an exorcism."

"Forced buying and selling?" Chi Shen mused, rubbing his chin, "The Bai family really knows how to earn money."

The creature confirmed, "Exactly."

As they conversed, Chi Shen had already reached the mansion's entrance, but the creature halted a considerable distance away and didn't approach further.

"Aren't you coming in?" Chi Shen turned to ask.

The creature shook its head and disappeared into the tree shadows.

The gatekeeper, hearing voices, approached to see. Spotting Chi Shen holding a ghost at the entrance, he jumped in surprise and immediately took a defensive stance, demanding, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"My name is Chi Shen," Chi Shen replied with a polite smile. "I'm here to see Bai Ran and have a word with him. Could you please call him for me?"

"Chi Shen?" The gatekeeper eyed him suspiciously. Noticing the ghost in his hand, his expression grew stern, "First, get rid of that ghost you're holding."

"That's not possible; it's a witness," Chi Shen shook his head.

The gatekeeper replied, "We can handle the ghost for you, but you can't bring it inside."

Chi Shen's eyes slightly lifted to meet the gatekeeper's gaze, making the man feel as if there was a bug on his face, uncomfortable and disturbed.

Chi Shen smirked and said, "Well, my apologies then."

Swiftly, the gatekeeper drew a peachwood sword with his right hand and readied a talisman in his left, preparing to face the dark shadow in Chi Shen's grip.

Yet, Chi Shen calmly approached and landed a punch straight to his face.

The gatekeeper: ???

"Why aren't you playing by the rules?" he thought.