Chapter 101: If I’m Not Freed Soon, I’ll Be Stitched Back!

Chapter 101: If I'm Not Freed Soon, I'll Be Stitched Back!

The desolate scorched ground echoed with a dragging sound as the figure of the headless ghost, Zheng Ming, appeared in the courtyard.

After more than two decades, he returned to this place, faced with a dilapidated house and a skull covered in wild grass.

Due to the restrictions of the Special Security Bureau, his appearance was now semi-transparent. The malevolent aura around him had almost faded. Compared to his former vengeful ghost form, he now seemed more like a wandering spirit.

Most of his power was sealed within the axe he possessed, and only a small portion of that power could manifest.

Now, the headless ghost's energy was so weak that Li Xue couldn't see him. Holding the moss-covered ball, he ran towards Chi Shen and the others, exclaiming as he ran, "I found this over there. I felt something was buried beneath the grass. When I dug it up, it turned out to be this. I think it was buried inside a wall before, but when the wall collapsed, this rolled out. What's going on?!"

The sphere in Li Xue's hand suddenly began to tremble.

Beneath the layer of moss and overgrowth was a skull filled with dirt brought by the wind. The skull was cracked, and windborne plants sprouted from those fissures and eye sockets. To the untrained eye, it would be unrecognizable as a human skull.

But Li Xue knew their purpose for being there. Suspicion arose at the sight of the round object. After a closer look, he confirmed it was indeed a human head.

The skull shook violently. Li Xue, startled, instinctively wanted to throw it away. However, realizing it was the head of the headless ghost, he clutched it tightly, glancing around anxiously, "Is he here?"

No one responded, for an answer was no longer necessary.

Dirt and weeds fell from the skull as it levitated from Li Xue's hand, floating in a certain direction.

Looking up, Li Xue saw the skull come to a stop, and then blood-red flesh grew upon the bone, followed by a layer of pale skin.

Below the head, the image of a man gradually formed. He held his head with one hand and a giant axe with the other. Releasing the axe, he adjusted the position of his head on his neck with both hands.

Li Xue noticed the man's neck was soaked in blood, staining his clothes. The dripping blood merged with the scorched earth, creating a ghastly sight.

As the man positioned the newly fleshed-out head on his neck, the bleeding ceased. He gently caressed the severed region, and as he did, he seemed almost alive again, fully unified with the skull.

"Is... is that it?" Li Xue exclaimed in wonder. "Is this some sort of neck-regeneration technique?"

As Li Xue expressed his amazement, the man attempted to turn his head. With a distinct snap, the head detached from the neck, and he hurriedly tried to reposition it.

Li Xue mumbled, "...Nevermind, forget what I just said."

Zheng Ming, now with his head reattached, appeared to be an honest and dependable-looking man, entirely different from the fearsome image of him searching for his head with an axe in hand.

Zheng Ming, holding his reattached head in place, rotated it with his hands to face Li Xue. After steadying it with both hands, he bowed in gratitude, saying, "Thank you."

This time, his voice emanated directly from the head he'd just put in place. His lips moved in synchronization, indicating he now had control over it.

"Do you need any help?"

Chi Shen kindly suggested from the side, "It seems inconvenient for you to hold your head like that. Would you like me to stitch it up for you?"

Zheng Ming's expression shifted instantly. With hands cradling his head, he tried to shake it as a sign of refusal. "Thank you! Really, thank you! But it's not necessary! Everything's fine this way."

"It's okay, I'm quite skilled. I've stitched up heads, if not a thousand, at least eight hundred times. And I just so happen to have some leftover materials—"

Zheng Ming quickly replied, "Truly, it's not necessary. My wish has been granted, my nemesis is dead, and the agents from the Special Security Bureau informed me that my mother has passed away. Now, even the piece of my skull I was missing has returned. There's nothing left in this world for me to cherish, so you don't need to stitch my skull back."

Almost as if fearing that if he hesitated a moment longer, Chi Shen would forcibly come over to show off his skills and sew his head back in place, Zheng Ming began to fade before he could finish speaking. The malevolence forming his body was gradually transforming into specks of light.

Chi Shen's expression seemed a bit regretful, but there's nothing one can do when a ghost decides to depart.

"Lastly..." Standing amidst the luminescence of his soul, Zheng Ming looked at everyone, a genuine smile gracing his features. "Thank you all. The time I spent in the old house, sharing candy with you, was the happiest moment after my death."

A soft thud.

A white skull fell to the ground.

The flesh that had regenerated with Zheng Ming's reappearance faded as he vanished, leaving behind only a partially shattered skull.

Chi Shen walked over and picked up the skull.

"I never expected him to say that," Chi Shen mused with a faint smile.

Almost a month had passed since their days in the old mansion. He never thought that the ghosts there would express gratitude. He always felt that they would celebrate his departure. Yet, some spirits still cherished those times.

Lifting his gaze, Chi Shen realized everyone was staring at him. He chuckled, "What are you all looking at? Continue with what you were doing."

Li Xu sighed in relief. He had felt tense earlier. Though Chi Shen was smiling, he looked quite unsettling, almost as if he existed in a different realm. Li Xu had a question, but hesitated to ask.

"What did you mean by what you just said?" Yuan Yi Ping was the first to ask. His gaze at Chi Shen was rather stern.

Chi Shen looked puzzled, "What did I say?"

He had spoken so much earlier, especially during his conversation with Bai Ran. Any sentence overheard by Yuan Yi Ping might result in him being interrogated over several pots of tea at the Special Security Bureau. But he'd play dumb unless Yuan specified which statement.

"You said you've stitched up, if not a thousand, at least eight hundred heads. What did you mean by that?" Yuan Yi Ping questioned, his tone grave. "Explain yourself."

Chi Shen fell silent, completely taken aback that this was the remark Yuan Yi Ping referred to.

"I thought it was about something else..." Chi Shen calmly responded, "Of course, I was just joking. How could I have come across so many heads? I said that just to lighten the mood. Given the circumstances, he looked like he was about to cry. So, I tried to be a little playful. That should be okay, right?"

Xu Jiayuan chuckled from the side, "There's nothing to worry about. I almost shed tears myself. A ghost who's been searching for its head for decades finally finds it — such a touching moment. I feared it would give a tearful acceptance speech. Thankfully, Chi Shen shifted the conversation... At least the deceased left with a smile."

Yuan Yiping stared at Chi Shen, "Is it truly just a joke?"

Chi Shen candidly responded, "What else? If I had stitched so many heads, your Special Security Bureau would have already noted it down."

Yuan Yiping glanced at Chi Shen several times, feeling something was off but couldn't pinpoint what. So, he chose not to ask further.

At this moment, Ji Xingchen stepped forward, positioning himself between Yuan Yiping and Chi Shen. Adjusting his glasses, he looked at Chi Shen with a calm expression.

Yet, Chi Shen interpreted a different message from that look: "I've got this handled; you can relax."

A realization hit Chi Shen, "Wait, did you orchestrate the disappearance of these two?"

Ji Xingchen silently nodded in confirmation.

Understanding the nod, Chi Shen rubbed his forehead, "I knew that red candle in Xu Jiayuan's hand looked familiar. Bai Wan was involved too; she's an accomplice!"

At this point, the night's events drew to a close. Yuan Yiping called back to the bureau to have someone handle the aftermath. While the Special Security Bureau was busy, Chi Shen took Ji Xingchen aside to clarify his arrangements, so he wouldn't slip up later.

Noticing the two – one alive, one a ghost – whispering to each other, Li Xu approached, scratching his head. As he came closer, the duo stopped talking. He quickly said, "Sorry, I just had a question for Chi Shen."

Chi Shen calmly replied, "What is it?"

Li Xu hesitated, seemingly finding it hard to voice his curiosity, but eventually asked, "That middle-aged woman... is she your mother?"

Chi Shen responded, "My biological mother, yes."

After a moment's pause, as if connecting some dots, Li Xu nodded, "I see. I thought she didn't seem like the type to buy clothes for you."

Glancing down at his bright yellow attire, Chi Shen smiled slightly, "This was bought by my mother, not that mother."

With his question answered, Li Xu walked away, leaving Chi Shen and Ji Xingchen to continue their conversation.

Only then did Chi Shen realize how meticulous Ji Xingchen had been, even calculating when Xu Jiayuan and Yuan Yiping would break the ghost-trapping formation. Their earlier conversation remained unknown to the two.

As per the Special Security Bureau's report, Bai Ran committed suicide and became a vengeful ghost. Upon hearing that Chi Shen would be at the Hong City serial murder site and suspecting a potential evil deity transformed from a Fortune God statue, Bai Ran came in hopes of consuming the deity and seeking revenge on Chi Shen.

However, the rumors of the Fortune God statue were unfounded, leaving Bai Ran empty-handed. But Chi Shen did show up, and while Bai Ran tried to get his revenge, he consumed his own mother to gain strength. Eventually, the ghosts of those Bai Ran harmed consumed him, obliterating his soul.

Of course, how these victims of Bai Ran found their way there remained a mystery that Ji Xingchen couldn't hide. Thus, a record was made in the Special Security Bureau's files. That night, Chi Shen accompanied Ji Xingchen to the bureau to provide their statements.

On the road, Chi Shen turned to Ji Xingchen, asking, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Going to the Special Security Bureau would inevitably lead their agents to investigate your background. Your transformation into a vengeful spirit might not remain hidden then.

Ji Xingchen looked down, his gaze filtered through the lenses of his glasses onto the car seat, and said, "It's alright. Perhaps, this is a shortcut."

Chi Shen observed him for a moment before smiling gently, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

He reached out his hand.

Ji Xingchen looked up at him.

Chi Shen tilted his head slightly, chuckling, "Haven't you been watching me all this time?"

Ji Xingchen raised his hand, his fingers trembling ever so slightly, but he genuinely wanted to act on the impulse he had held back from earlier.

Back then, in front of Xu Xiuyin and Bai Ran, when Chi Shen extended his hand, Ji Xingchen truly wanted to grasp it in return.

He missed that chance, but Chi Shen offered him another.

Ji Xingchen's icy hand touched Chi Shen's. Their fingers intertwined, and a rare, somewhat naive smile appeared on Ji Xingchen's face. But it lasted only for a fleeting moment before vanishing. He stared into Chi Shen's eyes, as if wanting to etch this man into his memory forever.

Chi Shen held onto his hand, which was cold yet held a certain warmth. He felt the chill peculiar to spirits emanating from Ji Xingchen's hand but didn't let go.

He had always imagined that after escaping that ghost-filled, sunless death game, he'd relish life — sleep under the sun, drink doubly sweet milk tea, and enjoy every beautiful and warm aspect of the world.

Unexpectedly, what he held now was a cold hand.

Cold doesn't necessarily mean devoid of beauty.

Sometimes, it can be even warmer than the living.

Inside the Special Security Bureau's vehicle, the two conversed as if no one else was present. The police driving heard them, but matters of destiny were not under their jurisdiction. They sat straight, pretending not to notice.

By conventional wisdom, the worlds of the living and the dead shouldn't mix, and such relationships rarely have happy endings. But having seen so much, and knowing Chi Shen wasn't reckless, they didn't bother advising. Only those involved truly understand whether they find joy or sorrow in such matters.

So, it was best to pretend they hadn’t noticed.

While the agents of the Special Security Bureau might turn a blind eye, another spirit still accompanied Chi Shen.

Ghost Face felt that the atmosphere between the two was off. He couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind their words since his mind was preoccupied. Feeling that it wasn't the right moment to speak, he remained silent.

Observing a brief lull in their conversation, Ghostface felt it was his moment to speak. Nestled inside the hood of Chishen's jacket, he whispered, “Why come here at all? With Bairan dead, couldn’t we just bury him somewhere discreet? Let his enemies find him directly, rather than us taking this detour. Seems a lot more troublesome.”

Chishen leaned back in his seat, gazing intently at the intertwined hands between him and Jixingchen. His voice distant, he murmured, “Because Jixingchen believes that I too have a right to vengeance.”

Ghostface's expression turned quizzical, "Huh?"

“I was also one of the victims harmed by Bairan. So, he wanted to grant me a chance for retribution and chose this isolated location. A deserted place in today’s Harbor City is hard to come by, and given the chance, Bairan might take hostages,” Chishen mused, swaying their linked hands and cheerfully noting Jixingchen's discreet attempt to turn his head away. He reckoned that if he weren't holding onto Jixingchen's hand, he’d probably have slipped away into the shadows. Such thoughts brought a gleeful grin to his face.

Ghostface nodded, somewhat dramatically folding into himself, and mused, “I see.”

Jixingchen tightened his grip subtly, steadying Chishen's fidgeting hand. He glanced at Chishen, taking in his triumphant smile, then silently turned his gaze away.

Completely oblivious to their little exchange, as Ghostface was perched behind Chishen, he suddenly blurted out, “Jixingchen really treats you well, huh?”

Tilting his head towards Ghostface, Chishen remarked, “Isn’t that how it should be?”

Ghostface flattened himself as if ducking, conceding with a rush, “Of course, of course. But the two of you teaming up... it’s kind of terrifying.”

Jixingchen adjusted his glasses, his tone measured, “I’ll give you another chance to rephrase that.”

In a flash, Ghostface retreated further into Chishen's hood, blurting, “I meant you two are a perfect match! Like the Watson and Holmes of the yin and yang realms!”

Chishen chuckled, “Don’t scare him off. I’m curious why he’s yet to move on. Such an interesting subject for research; wouldn’t want him to flee.”

Ghostface thought, ...I should’ve stayed under the car instead of inside it.

The journey from Harbor City's crime scene to the Special Security Bureau was a long one. It took over an hour by car both ways, even at late hours with clearer roads.

This time, Chishen wasn't granted any privileges and was separated from Jixingchen as they entered the interrogation rooms.

Chishen had already shared details of the events with Jixingchen. Speaking truthfully, barring details of his spectral nature, his account sounded highly credible. Upon conclusion, he was promptly released. Despite being closely tied to the case, it paradoxically had little to do with him since Jixingchen was the primary actor.

Indeed, Jixingchen was solely responsible. Until today, Chishen was unaware of the extent of Jixingchen’s actions and arrangements.

Still, arriving at the Special Security Bureau wasn’t about giving statements for Chishen. He was more concerned about Jixingchen's identity.

As he exited the interrogation room, Chishen immediately sought out Xu Jiayuan for updates. Given Yuan Yiping’s skepticism towards him, Xu Jiayuan was more receptive.

Xu Jiayuan was forthright, admitting he too was looking for Chishen. Addressing Chishen’s query, he stated, “Actually, I wanted to discuss this with you. We couldn’t find any record of Jixingchen. There are individuals named Jixingchen in the police database, but none from Harbor City or matching his description.”

After hearing Xu Jiayuan's explanation, Chi Shen didn't show excessive surprise. He nodded in understanding, "I see."

Xu Jiayuan quickly pressed on, "What do you mean by 'I see'? Did you know this would happen?"

"No, I had actually suspected it earlier. He's not Ji Xingchen," said Chi Shen.

"Wait a moment!" Xu Jiayuan felt that the matter was getting beyond his comprehension. "What do you mean? The more you say, the more confused I become."

Chi Shen replied calmly, "I went to his company before. There's no one by the name of Ji Xingchen there."

Xu Jiayuan exclaimed in shock, "He lied?!"

Then, Xu Jiayuan clasped his hands together and said in utter disbelief, "You two are like that, and he still lied to you?"

The volume of Xu Jiayuan's voice drew sidelong glances from others. Chi Shen quickly pulled him aside to another spot. The way Xu Jiayuan put it, it seemed as if there was something going on between them, making everyone give them strange looks.

"He didn't lie," Chi Shen said after bringing Xu Jiayuan to a secluded corridor. "In his perception, his name is Ji Xingchen."

Xu Jiayuan said, puzzled, "But our system really doesn't have this person. Either he died very early, before the founding of the nation, or he's undocumented and has never been registered."

"Yet he was able to mention his workplace and seems to have a clear understanding of the current situation in the port city. He didn't lie about the time of his death," Chi Shen reminded him.

Xu Jiayuan grew even more confused, "But why? If he has a formal job, then he should definitely have a record in the police system."

"He says his name is Ji Xingchen, and he believes so," Chi Shen said, looking down the corridor at the bustling special security personnel, "That's what he believes."

Xu Jiayuan looked at him, bewildered, "So... never mind, I'll leave it to Brother Yuan and the others. This matter was never my responsibility in the first place."

Chi Shen waited the entire night at the special security bureau, and only then did Ji Xingchen emerge from the interrogation room. He looked no different from before, even the curve of his lips remained unchanged. Seeing Chi Shen, he adjusted his glasses and said, "I told them you're my anchor."

Chi Shen laughed, "So they let you go with me?"

Ji Xingchen approached him and re-entered his shadow.

Smiling, Chi Shen reached out to his own shadow. A gentle breeze twined around his fingers for a moment, then disappeared back into the shadow.

"Let's go home."

Before leaving, Chi Shen filled out a bunch of registration forms and wrote some situation reports. The main reason being that he currently has a few more spirits accompanying him than usual, and he needed to inform the special security bureau. Understanding and supporting the bureau's work, Chi Shen filled out each form diligently.

By the time Chi Shen finished filling out the paperwork, dawn was nearly breaking.